Government allows cultivation of genetically modified crops after full scientific evaluation: Sanjeev Kumar Balyan

Government allows cultivation of genetically modified crops after full scientific evaluation: Sanjeev Kumar Balyan 

NEW DELHI: The government allows cultivation of genetically modified (GM) crops after full scientific evaluation of biosafety and impact on environment as well as on consumers, Parliament was informed today.

In India, cotton is the only GM crop (Bt cotton) approved for commercial cultivation.

"The government policy is to allow GM crops after full scientific evaluation of its biosafety and impact on the environment and on the consumers," Minister of State for Agriculture said PTI

Monsanto Should Lose Some Battles to Win the War Over GMOs

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Farmers, consumer forums write to Jayalalithaa on clearance to GM field trials

Farmers, consumer forums write to Jayalalithaa on clearance to GM field trials

CHENNAI: Several farmers, consumer forums and activists have slammed the hurried granting of permission for genetically modified (GM) food trials for rice, mustard, chick pea and other crops.

In a letter to the chief minister J Jayalalithaa, they said the approval of an unsafe technology such as GM by a centralized body like Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC) would compromise the interest and priorities of the state. Agriculture was a state subject, they pointed out.

"The chief minister had made it clear that she would not allow GM in Tamil Nadu and we hope she will reiterate that stand by opposing such forcible thrust of field trials on the states," said Vettavalam Manigandan, president of the Tamil Nadu Vivasaayigal Sangam.

Raising concerns over the speed shown by the GEAC in clearing 60 of the pending 70 applications for field trials of different genetically modified crops, S Selvam, president of the TN organic farmers association, asked "What is the need for such a hasty release just before the cropping seasons starts, particularly when so many states had earlier clearly indicated that they were not for conducting field trials?."

"It is unfortunate that in a state with such a large diverse pool of traditional paddy reserve, the Madurai Kamaraj University has decided to pursue a GM rice research and that too on popular white ponni, indicating a bankruptcy of intelligence," said Ram of the Tharcharbu Uzhavar Iyakkam, terming the field trial permission as unwanted and unwarranted. He also added that many of the farmer unions and groups across Tamil Nadu were planning a protest across the state and also are writing directly to the chief minister and the union minister of environment and forests. TOI

Trials and regulations

The promise and performance of genetically modified crops in agriculture is once again under the spotlight, with the sanction given by the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee for confined field trials of several food crops. In its last days, the UPA government decided to end the moratorium on trial cultivation of these engineered varieties, and to allow experiments aimed at generating biosafety data. The GEAC has now taken further steps to allow field trials of rice, brinjal, mustard, chickpea and cotton, and import of GM soyabean oil. Clearly, there can be no credible argument against scientific experiments in agriculture that advance the goal of developing plant varieties that can withstand drought, resist pests and raise yields to feed the growing world population. But this should be done through a transparent regulatory process that is free of ethical conflicts. Proponents of GM crops funding research in agricultural universities represents one such conflict. To aid transparency, research findings should be made available in the public domain for independent study. But India has taken only halting steps towards establishing a strong regulatory system; the Biotechnology Regulatory Authority of India Bill, 2013, which provided for multi-level scientific assessments and an appellate tribunal, has lapsed.

While the Central government has not permitted the commercial cultivation of Bt brinjal in India, the recent case of neighbouring Bangladesh shows that regulatory mechanisms must be put in place before such crops are grown, whether for research or for the market — and they must be functional. Although the licence to produce the crop in Bangladesh required that the GM variety be isolated from indigenous ones to prevent genetic contamination, the condition was not followed. Field trials in India, in which the State governments have a say, must ensure that there are sufficient safeguards against such violations. If GM food is allowed to be sold to consumers, they must have the right to know what they are buying, and labelling should be made mandatory. Here again, the Bangladesh experience shows that such a condition may be difficult to enforce. There is no consensus on the performance of GM crops and the results have been mixed. They have had some beneficial impact on tillage practices and in terms of curbing the use of insecticides, but as the Union of Concerned Scientists in the U.S. points out, they have created monocultures and may be affecting birds and bees. All this underscores the need for a cautious approach — one that fosters scientific inquiry, allows for scrutiny and is underpinned by regulation. Enacting a comprehensive law that covers all aspects of GM crops should be a priority. THe Hindu

Environment Ministry clarifies on field trials of Genetically Modified crops

Environment Ministry clarifies on field trials of Genetically Modified crops 

NEW DELHI: Environment Ministry today clarified that it has given no approval for field trials of certain varieties of Genetically Modified (GM) crops. 

The ministry, however, said that the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC) has recommended certain cases for field trials. 

"Field trials of #GMCrops is not a Government Decision. It is a recommendation of a Committee," Javadekar tweeted tonight.