Seeds of Profit
The modern food system, characterized by industrial agriculture and
the globalization of seed production, has had profound implications
for the nutritional content of our fruits and vegetables.
Over the
past century, decades of breeding for traits like size, appearance,
and shelf life have inadvertently led to a decline in essential
nutrients.
A prime example is the tomato.
While modern tomatoes are often
larger, redder, and firmer, they have lost significant amounts of
nutrients.
Studies have shown that compared to heirloom varieties,
commercially available tomatoes have lost up to a quarter of their
calcium and more than half of their vitamins.
This decline in
nutritional value is a direct result of breeding for aesthetic and
commercial appeal rather than nutritional content.
The seeds that produce the fruits and vegetables we consume are now
predominantly owned by a handful of multinational corporations.
These companies have established a global seed monopoly, controlling
the genetic resources that underpin our food supply.
This
concentration of power allows these corporations to dictate the
types of crops grown, the seeds used, and ultimately, the
nutritional quality of our food.
The global seed trade often involves exploitation and inequality.
Many of these multinational companies source their seeds from
developing countries, where workers are paid meager wages and labor
conditions are often substandard.
For example, in India, workers
involved in seed production are paid a mere fraction of what the
companies earn in revenue.
This stark contrast highlights the
unequal distribution of wealth and benefits within the global food
system.
The loss of nutritional value in modern fruits and vegetables is
just one consequence of the 'industrialization and globalization of
agriculture'...
Another significant impact is the erosion of
biodiversity.
Over the past 100 years, 75% of cultivated varieties
have disappeared worldwide.
This loss of genetic diversity puts our
food supply at risk from pests, diseases, and climate change...
