GM crops will be needed to feed burgeoning population

For their project, entitled ‘Thermodynamics of Crop Synthesis’, St Finian’s College students Seán Tully from Gaybrook and Noah Clarke from Lynn Cross took a serious look at what can be done to improve the yields of grain crops. What inspired their project is the way the world population is growing and the best way of producing enough food for that population. They used Carnot’s Theorem to calculate the theoretical photosynthetic efficiency of Irish crops in their research.

While many may baulk at the term ‘genetically modified’, the two concluded that work being done by scientists on genetically modifying crops will be key to ensuring that the world’s food supplies remain plentiful enough to keep the burgeoning population fed.

The two were surprised at the finding of how great the theoretical increase in yields could be – 58 percent was the figure that emerged. "Even if we could achieve a small bit of that level of increase, it would bring great benefits as populations increase," said Noah.

Seán admits that the two are aware of the hesitancy towards genetically modified crops – "but the sociopolitical element wasn’t what we were considering".

It’s a nettle that will, however, have to be grasped: "People in power are going to have to work on it – or we won’t be able to feed the population," he says.