Question: I think changing the genes in plants to be drought proof is a good idea. But do you not think you should leave nature as it it and let nature take its course?

Carla Turner answered on 12 Nov 2013:

This is a great question and a massive debate, especially in Europe.

I can only give my opinion and I have to say, it’s just my opinion and lots of people think differently.

I think we don’t live very naturally, we have cars, we have technology and are always medicating people who are ill, which is not a natural process.

Unfortunately we have caused a lot of problems for growing crops, including increasing our population and global warming just to name a couple. This means we have big problems trying to feed the world and we have to try and solve these problems. Genetically changing a crop is just one of the ways we can try and help feed the world, but I do think it is important to try a lot of other things too.