A few days ago, I had a conversation with @shopnilhasan, @burlarj, and some of my other Neoxian City friends about the impact of technology on food. It is true that technology has helped humanity grow beyond its initial reach. The importance of technology in our lives is undeniable and not far-fetched, particularly in the agricultural sector. Tasks that used to require a lot of manpower can now be completed with technological tools. Thanks to technology, we have equipment like tractors, bulldozers, tree harvesters that make agricultural work faster and much easier. Things could have been better if we had stuck to this equipment, but we took it too far with the use of chemicals. To make crops grow well and to prevent pests and insects, scientists devolved chemicals to aid crop production. While these chemicals have been beneficial to some extent, what’s the real cost? It seems we are sacrificing something much bigger- our lives, for sustainable crop growth.
Growing up, one of the most common foods prepared in my home (and also in other Nigerian homes was rice- white rice. It doesn’t need any special ingredient- just salt and you’re good to go. White rice was the only food I knew how to prepare when I was young because of how easy it was. Back then, if you cooked rice and left it overnight, it would still be good to eat the next morning. All you need to do is microwave it and you’re good to go. However, today, it is an entirely different case. If you prepare rice today, before evening, it would have started to ferment. I thought I was the only one who noticed this, until Burlarj mentioned it a few days ago.
We continue to consume these foods without realizing their potential side effects on our bodies. This issue isn't limited to rice; other crops are also affected. Think about it: what could be causing these foods to spoil quickly if not for the chemicals?
Sadly, market sellers have started applying chemicals to vegetables and fruits. I’m pretty sure you have noticed how vegetables have started to get withered in no time at all. These market people even go as far as using chemicals to fasten the ripening process of fruits. Chemicals such as CABAD are used for this purpose. Here’s what I found on the internet while researching on the effects of using CABAD to fasten the ripening process of fruits and vegetables. According to a doctor, “The chemical is very dangerous and its consumption is deadly because it contains traces of arsenic and phosphorus, both of which have dangerous effects on the human body and could lead to organophosphate poisoning.” Although I have no idea what arsenic, phosphorus and organophosphate poisoning are, I’m certain they cause harm to our bodies and should be avoided.
The causes of cancer and many other diseases remain a mystery, but it probably has something to do with the things we consume. The food we eat, the water we drink and the products we use, contain harmful chemicals that cause damage to our health. The most dangerous part is that we find these chemicals in almost everything we consume- from fruits, to water, vegetables and products. In my opinion, applying technology to the things we consume is not a fair price to pay for sustainable feeding. If we keep going down this lane, it is only a matter of time before these things start causing worse incurable diseases.
The issue of chemicals in our food is not something that can be solved immediately. Humanity has gone far down this path. I believe this issue should be tackled from the grassroots level, starting with market sellers and local farmers, and then also addressing industries.
All the images in this post are mine
Thanks for reading.
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