Final answer:
Agricultural genetic engineering can help protect the global food supply against pests by enhancing crops with traits like pest and herbicide resistance. It may also enable the development of crops that withstand harsh climates and improve nutritional value. Risk assessments and ecological considerations remain crucial in the application of this technology.
Step-by-step explanation:
As global warming changes climates around the world, pests common in warmer climates are expected to spread and move into new regions. Agricultural genetic engineering can provide several protections for the global food supply against this problem. One way is by enhancing crops with genetic traits that confer resistance to specific pests, reducing the need for pesticides and the potential for agricultural loss from pest invasions.
Genetic engineering in agriculture aims to develop crops with beneficial traits such as pest resistance and herbicide resistance. However, it is also critical to address the need for crops that can withstand harsher climates and provide enhanced nutritional value. Utilizing biotechnology, scientists can introduce genes from plants that naturally withstand extreme conditions into more vulnerable but essential crops. This process could lead to the development of more resilient varieties capable of growing in the face of climate change-induced stresses such as drought and soil salinity.
Despite these advances, it is essential to ensure that the risks associated with introducing genetically modified organisms (GMOs) into ecosystems are carefully assessed on a case-by-case basis, alongside appropriate risk management measures. Ensuring the safety and ecological compatibility of these crops is crucial for protecting the environment while advancing food security.