In 2016, the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) launched Insect Allies with the objective of developing genetically-modified viruses that can be transmitted through insects across fields. This technology could potentially, in comparison to traditional methods, better protect crops from a multitude of food security threats such as disease and frost.
However, what underlies the research project is an ongoing debate regarding the practicality of the project and the intent behind this research.
Recently, a letter published in the journal Science pointed out that Insect Allies can be seen as an effort towards manufacturing functionable bioweapons for military use. Critics believe this perception can make Insect Allies seem like a hostile threat on part of the United States. Once you engineer a virus that spreads by insect, it is hard to imagine how you would ever control it. — Guy Reves
Silja Voeneky, one of the authors of the letter and a public law, international law and ethics of law professor at the University of Freiburg, also claimed that using insects as a vector should not be necessary in the research project. “In our opinion the justifications are not clear enough. For example, why do they use insects? They could use spraying systems.”
In addition, the authors pointed that thus far the projected agricultural benefits resulting from the Insect Allies research project have not been made clear, raising more questions about this project on ethical and security terms.
Aside from the questionability of their project, critics of Insect Allies voiced that implementing this plan on a wide-scale can result in serious consequences. Guy Reves, a researcher at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, explains his thoughts on what can arise from continuing the research. “Once you engineer a virus that spreads by insect, it is hard to imagine how you would ever control it.”
In response to the concerns expressed in the opinion piece in Science and of other critics, Blake Bextine, the DARPA program manager for Insect Allies, wrote a counter argument supportive of the project’s efforts.
He argued that DARPA has maintained a high standard in regards to its transparency. “DARPA structured Insect Allies as a university-led, fundamental research program, and has invited in representatives from U.S. regulatory agencies from the very beginning of the program to offer perspectives and learn about the work.”
He also claimed that sprayed systems are “impractical for introducing genetic modifications on a large scale” and cannot serve as a specific treatment.
Though Bextine said that Insect Allies is clear of the major issues that critics voiced concerns about, they are important points to keep in mind as they affect our crops, health and nation.
