--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To argue that we need some technology in…" description: "\"To argue that we need some technology in order to produce food to tackle hunger is completely blind to the facts on the ground. Actually, what we need ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a7/anna-lappe-33417_arguing_to-argue-that-we-need-some-technology-in_2353739.png" --- # To argue that we need some technology in order to produce… ![“To argue that we need some technology in order to produce food to tackle hunger is completely blind to the facts on the ground. Actually, what we need is the exact opposite of what GMOs give us. We have to empower farmers to grow food for themselves and plant and grow their own seeds and use…” quote by Anna Lappe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a7/anna-lappe-33417_arguing_to-argue-that-we-need-some-technology-in_2353739.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a7/anna-lappe-33417_arguing_to-argue-that-we-need-some-technology-in_2353739.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a7/anna-lappe-33417_arguing_to-argue-that-we-need-some-technology-in_2353739.png) > “To argue that we need some technology in order to produce food to tackle hunger is completely blind to the facts on the ground. Actually, what we need is the exact opposite of what GMOs give us. We have to empower farmers to grow food for themselves and plant and grow their own seeds and use practices to deal with weeds and the need for fertility, not from purchased products like a seed or a chemical, but from their own farms, from their own knowledge and skill sets.” [Anna Lappe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-lappe/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Relying on GMOs ignores local knowledge; true food security comes from farmer autonomy and traditional practices. **In simple terms:** Farmers need control over seeds and soil, not external products. Key Takeaway Empower farmers, reject dependence on GMOs. Themes sustainability food security farmer autonomy agroecology Mood determined hopeful Type activist pragmatic When to use this quote - smallholder farms - organic gardening - seed saving - soil regeneration Key Concepts seed sovereignty soil health community knowledge Questions to Reflect On - How can modern science support farmer-led seed systems? - What policies protect farmer knowledge while encouraging innovation? A Different Perspective GMOs can improve yields; some contexts, but may not address local ecological and social needs. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Blind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blind/) [Empowering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/empowering/) [Facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts/) [Farmers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/farmers/) [Farms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/farms/) [Fertility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fertility/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Gmos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gmos/) [Hunger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hunger/) [Opposites](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opposites/) [Order](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/order/) [Plant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plant/) [Practice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/practice/) [Skills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/skills/) [Technology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/technology/) ## Related quotes > [I want to empower farmers to expand their market share.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/i-want-to-empower-farmers-to-expand-their-market-share/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [You cannot tackle hunger, disease, and poverty unless you can also provide people with a healthy ecosystem in which their economies can grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gro-harlem-brundtland/you-cannot-tackle-hunger-disease-and-poverty-unless-you-can-also/) [Gro Harlem Brundtland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gro-harlem-brundtland/) > [“God (Nature, in my view) makes all things good; man meddles with them and they become evil. He fores one soil to yield the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/god-nature-in-my-view-makes-all-things-good-man-meddles-with-them-and/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [The fact is, some of the most respected scientific bodies in the world, including Codex Alimentarius (jointly run by the World Health Organization and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-lister-jones/the-fact-is-some-of-the-most-respected-scientific-bodies-in-the-world/) [Zoe Lister-Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoe-lister-jones/) > [I think the dangers of the impact of GMOs on the environment are undebatable. Genetically modified crops are tied to the chemicals sprayed on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-lister-jones/i-think-the-dangers-of-the-impact-of-gmos-on-the-environment-are/) [Zoe Lister-Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoe-lister-jones/) > [All that is needed to set us definitely on the road to a Fascist society is war. It will of course be a modified…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-t-flynn/all-that-is-needed-to-set-us-definitely-on-the-road-to-a-fascist/) [John T. Flynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-t-flynn/) > [If you look at all the lobbyists in Washington, this is not a democracy. This is ruled by special interest groups. That includes the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/if-you-look-at-all-the-lobbyists-in-washington-this-is-not-a/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [That said, a lot of people buy products with "green" in the brand name, but make no attempt to understand what it would really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annalee-newitz/that-said-a-lot-of-people-buy-products-with-green-in-the-brand-name/) [Annalee Newitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annalee-newitz/) > [GMOs could really land us in trouble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-tudge/gmos-could-really-land-us-in-trouble/) [Colin Tudge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-tudge/) > [The entire EU has labeling for GMOs, and is simply saying let's let consumers know what they're buying, let's let them choose. I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-shumlin/the-entire-eu-has-labeling-for-gmos-and-is-simply-saying-let-s-let/) [Peter Shumlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-shumlin/) > [Any scientist who tells you they know that GMOs are safe and not to worry about it, is either ignorant of the history of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-suzuki/any-scientist-who-tells-you-they-know-that-gmos-are-safe-and-not-to/) [David Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-suzuki/) > [The FDA has received over a million comments from citizens demanding labeling of GMOs. 90 percent of Americans agree. So, why no labeling?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-kucinich/the-fda-has-received-over-a-million-comments-from-citizens-demanding/) [Dennis Kucinich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-kucinich/) > [Many of the genetically modified foods will be safe, I'm sure. Will most of them be safe? Nobody knows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-rifkin/many-of-the-genetically-modified-foods-will-be-safe-i-m-sure-will/) [Jeremy Rifkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-rifkin/) > [As a scientist I cannot say we don't want to hear anything about GMOs, because these are advances in science. But I think its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wangari-maathai/as-a-scientist-i-cannot-say-we-don-t-want-to-hear-anything-about-gmos/) [Wangari Maathai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wangari-maathai/) > [We hear, "Oh, we need to patent GMOs and develop new strains and new chemicals because Nature can't provide what we need." I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-moore-lapp/we-hear-oh-we-need-to-patent-gmos-and-develop-new-strains-and-new/) [Frances Moore Lappé](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-moore-lapp/) ## More by Anna Lappe > [Those of us who think about what we eat, how it's grown, those of us who care about the environmental impact of food -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-lappe/those-of-us-who-think-about-what-we-eat-how-it-s-grown-those-of-us/) [Anna Lappe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-lappe/) > [When people hear about legal restrictions on marketing and advertising, often the response is: Aren't you just being a food nanny? Isn't that government…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-lappe/when-people-hear-about-legal-restrictions-on-marketing-and/) [Anna Lappe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-lappe/) > [The food industry is spending almost $2 billion a year marketing directly to children and teens. We know that those ads lead to children…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-lappe/the-food-industry-is-spending-almost-2-billion-a-year-marketing/) [Anna Lappe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-lappe/) > [Yes, there is a crisis of hunger on the planet, but hunger is not caused by a scarcity of food but a scarcity of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-lappe/yes-there-is-a-crisis-of-hunger-on-the-planet-but-hunger-is-not/) [Anna Lappe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-lappe/) > [Part of what the food industry does with public relations, just like the chemical industry or the oil industry, is to try to erase…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-lappe/part-of-what-the-food-industry-does-with-public-relations-just-like/) [Anna Lappe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-lappe/) > [Hope doesn't come from calculating whether the good news is winning out over the bad. Its simply a choice to take action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-lappe/hope-doesn-t-come-from-calculating-whether-the-good-news-is-winning/) [Anna Lappe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-lappe/) > [People don't realize how much the food industry has infiltrated all aspects of our children's lived experience, including their experience at school. There are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-lappe/people-don-t-realize-how-much-the-food-industry-has-infiltrated-all/) [Anna Lappe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-lappe/) > [Even very progressive, informed people still get tongue-tied responding to the question, can organic and sustainably raised food still feed the world? A corollary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-lappe/even-very-progressive-informed-people-still-get-tongue-tied/) [Anna Lappe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-lappe/) > [Every time you spend money, you're casting a vote for the kind of world you want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-lappe/every-time-you-spend-money-you-re-casting-a-vote-for-the-kind-of-2/) [Anna Lappe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-lappe/) > [Courage is saying maybe what I'm doing isn't working, maybe I should try something else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-lappe/courage-is-saying-maybe-what-i-m-doing-isn-t-working-maybe-i-should/) [Anna Lappe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-lappe/) > [Part of what the food industry does with public relations, just like the chemical industry or the oil industry, is to try to erase…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-lappe/part-of-what-the-food-industry-does-with-public-relations-just-like-2/) [Anna Lappe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-lappe/) > [Diet-related illnesses are causing nearly as many deaths as tobacco-related illnesses, not to mention the impact on quality of life when you start to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-lappe/diet-related-illnesses-are-causing-nearly-as-many-deaths-as-tobacco/) [Anna Lappe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-lappe/) > [You could increase farmworker wages significantly and not change the price to the consumer at all - for instance, if you redistribute how revenue…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-lappe/you-could-increase-farmworker-wages-significantly-and-not-change-the/) [Anna Lappe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-lappe/) > [Just in the past couple of years, there's been pushback against some of that marketing, as parents have gotten really upset. Now we're seeing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-lappe/just-in-the-past-couple-of-years-there-s-been-pushback-against-some/) [Anna Lappe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-lappe/) [Explore all 15 Anna Lappe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-lappe/) ## More Arguing quotes > [I do wish you wouldn't argue with me when I'm knitting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-durrell/i-do-wish-you-wouldn-t-argue-with-me-when-i-m-knitting/) [Gerald Durrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-durrell/) > [Any comprehensive doctrine, religious or secular, can be introduced into any political argument at any time, but I argue that people who do this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rawls/any-comprehensive-doctrine-religious-or-secular-can-be-introduced/) [John Rawls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rawls/) > [It's fine to talk about politics with people you agree with. But it is rude to argue about politics with people you disagree with.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-lessig/it-s-fine-to-talk-about-politics-with-people-you-agree-with-but-it-is/) [Lawrence Lessig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-lessig/) > [Men are fair, and they have learned not to personalize anger - they can disagree with you and argue to the bone, but afterward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-farrell/men-are-fair-and-they-have-learned-not-to-personalize-anger-they-can/) [Warren Farrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-farrell/) > [When Eudæmonidas heard a philosopher arguing that only a wise man can be a good general, "This is a wonderful speech," said he; "but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plutarch/when-eud-monidas-heard-a-philosopher-arguing-that-only-a-wise-man-can/) [Plutarch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plutarch/) > [Fasting is required, staying away from fighting and arguing and bombing of masjids is still going on. Hatred is still manifested between Sunni and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-farrakhan/fasting-is-required-staying-away-from-fighting-and-arguing-and/) [Louis Farrakhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-farrakhan/) > [The problem for the Left, however, is that the moment it stops painting the Right as vile, it has to argue the issues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-prager/the-problem-for-the-left-however-is-that-the-moment-it-stops-painting/) [Dennis Prager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-prager/) > [To argue with a person who has renounced the use of reason is like administering medicine to the dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/to-argue-with-a-person-who-has-renounced-the-use-of-reason-is-like/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [You can argue that the Terminator movies reboot their world each time they go back in time, but that doesn't negate the value of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hayter/you-can-argue-that-the-terminator-movies-reboot-their-world-each-time/) [David Hayter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hayter/) > [We may argue eloquently that 'Honesty is the best Policy' - unfortunately, the moment honesty is adopted for the sake of policy it mysteriously…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-l-sayers/we-may-argue-eloquently-that-honesty-is-the-best-policy-unfortunately/) [Dorothy L. Sayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-l-sayers/) > [I'm a very serious person, but I don't take myself very seriously and I would rather laugh all day than argue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stone-cold-steve-austin/i-m-a-very-serious-person-but-i-don-t-take-myself-very-seriously-and/) [Stone Cold Steve Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stone-cold-steve-austin/) > [These eyes, tho' clear To outward view of blemish or of spot, Bereft of light, their seeing have forgot, Nor to their idle orbs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/these-eyes-tho-clear-to-outward-view-of-blemish-or-of-spot-bereft-of/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [There's crucial distinction that has to be drawn between the Shari'a, which is this hugely expansive vision of cosmic order that I've been describing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sadakat-kadri/there-s-crucial-distinction-that-has-to-be-drawn-between-the-shari-a/) [Sadakat Kadri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sadakat-kadri/) > [Only fools argue whether to eat meat or not. They don't understand truth nor do they meditate on it. Who can define what is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guru-nanak/only-fools-argue-whether-to-eat-meat-or-not-they-don-t-understand/) [Guru Nanak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guru-nanak/) > [The surest sign that you haven't any sense is to argue with one who hasn't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-j-peter/the-surest-sign-that-you-haven-t-any-sense-is-to-argue-with-one-who/) [Laurence J. Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-j-peter/) Browse all 1,908 Arguing quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "To argue that we need some technology in order to produce food to tackle hunger is completely blind to the facts on the ground. Actually, what we need is the exact opposite of what GMOs give us. 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