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Does India need GM crops? Even the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee is not sure after GM crops came under fire in the aftermath of cotton venture failure. Why else would it first permit cultivation of BT cotton and then change its mind? Farmers now find the augmented plant cannot resist pests after all. As activists demand an inquiry, India is having second thoughts about an ambitious foray into a modified foodstuff, GM mustard. Our farmers are still grappling with such basics as fertilizers and pesticides. Few farmers are tech-savvy; even fewer are aware of the precautions to be taken before adopting and using biotech applications. Indeed it's nothing short of a crime to introduce GM crops in a society that predominantly follows primitive agricultural policies and where the average holding size is small. In such circumstances rather than brush aside possible risks, we must proceed to acknowledge GM crops' potent risks. To do otherwise is to show complete disregard for not just human beings but the entire biosphere.
India, which opened its doors to genetically modified (GM) crops in March 2002, is in a difficult position. The opposition to GM crops is mounting in face of reports that the GM cotton variety approved in March failed to deliver in farmers' fields. And this opposition has forced authorities to go slow on other GM crops in the pipeline. A government panel postponed decision on GM mustard, which if approved would have become the first genetically modified food crop in India. The new GM mustard variety with five foreign genes in it, including one from tobacco, might pose risks for human health and the environment. Green activists point out the expression of Brazil nut protein in soybean has confirmed that genetic engineering could lead to the expression of allergenic proteins. In the absence of detailed scientific evaluation in India, GM mustard can be dangerous. In fact, the committee has deferred a decision because of lack of health-related data. Another area of concern relates to its herbicide resistance. It has been engineered to be herbicide-tolerant, so that when a field is sprayed with herbicide; all plants except the GM mustard will die. It is feared that the use of herbicide-tolerant GM mustard will increase the use of herbicides, thus increasing the amount of toxic residues in food products.
Reckless use of technology has already produced - hundreds of viruses, which we are completely at a loss to handle. We have no clue to their numbers or mutants they may have spawned. For example-GM traits could enter our food chain through secondary sources. Cattle fed on GM cottonseed could transmit its effects to us through dairy products. Environmentalists are concerned about the damage GM pollen could do to crop diversity if it "contaminates" the 600 or so natural varieties growing in India. They fear any short-term gains in yield from GM cotton would undoubtedly be lost as the insects developed resistance. Moreover, claims that only GM crops can provide food security is completely unfounded and misleading. We produce enough food grain to feed our population and more. Poor storage by the Food Corporation f India, black marketeering and an inept public distribution system are the real culprits. Also, the first GM cotton crop cultivated commercially in India has been found to be no superior to the traditional varieties. Besides, claims by BT cotton promoters that it would cost less, require less water, and reduce the use of pesticides have all been belied in the Indian context. So, the need of the hour is to prevent biodegradation by putting a halt to the production of GM crops.
* Contributed by -
Saswati Upadhyaya,
PGP-1,
Xavier Institute of Management,
Bhubaneswar.
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