Explain4 marksStandard
In many regions, cotton farmers traditionally rely on frequent spraying of chemical insecticides to control pest insects such as bollworms. Genetically modified (GM) cotton has been developed that produces a protein toxic to certain insect pests, making the plant itself resistant to insect attack. Cotton is a non-food crop, but its production uses land that could be used for growing food. A farmer in a developing country decides to switch from conventional cotton to this insect-resistant GM cotton.
Explain how the use of insect-resistant GM cotton could help meet global food demand, and discuss two ethical or social implications of its widespread use.