Scientists seek PM's intervention on GM crops

Recommendations called detrimental to development of science, harnessing the potential of biotechnology

Agricultural scientists and economists have urged the Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh to intervene in the Technical Expert Committees’ recommendations advocating a ban on field trials and 10-year moratorium on commercialization of genetically modified crops.

A declaration signed by over 50 globally renowned scientists held these recommendations detrimental to development of science and harnessing the potential of biotechnology for reviving the country’s agriculture to accelerate poverty reduction and reduce malnourishment. The declaration was sent to PM's office for intervention.

The Committee appointed by the Supreme Court to assess the safety of GM crops, had in its interim reported on Thursday, said that the field trials of all edible GM crops meant for human consumption should be suspended immediately and a 10-year moratorium should be levied for their commercialization.

The declaration further said that the Committee’s analysis does not reflect the scientific evidence. In this background, agricultural economists and social scientists worldwide working on the impact of genetically modified crops in particular on Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) cotton in India came together to state that the Committee’s report is not objective. They unanimously asserted that GM crop technologies can play a very important positive role towards food security and sustainable development.

The Committee’s recommendation titled “Cultivation of genetically modified food crops – prospects and effects” prepared by India’s Committee on Agriculture is primarily focusing on cotton, which is the only genetically modified (GM) crop technology commercially approved in India up till now.

One conclusion in this report is that Bt cotton has benefited seed companies but not poor farmers. The report further states that Bt cotton has contributed to farmer suicides. This information is simply wrong. It contradicts the scientific evidence on the benefits of Bt cotton in India, published in studies by national and international scholars, Prof N Chandrasekhara Rao, an Independent agricultural economist, associated with University of Delhi, said.

For many years, anti-GM groups have tried to challenge the available evidence on Bt cotton benefits for smallholder farmers in India. But these claims by anti-GM groups are unsubstantiated. We are therefore very surprised that these claims are now reproduced in a high-level parliamentary panel report, while the large number of peer-reviewed scientific studies is completely ignored.

The scientific literature shows that Bt cotton adoption has significantly reduced chemical pesticide use in India, while increasing farmers’ yields and profits. Studies also show that farm household incomes and living standards have increased as a result of Bt cotton adoption. A substantial share of these benefits accrues to poor farm families. There is no correlation between farmer suicides and Bt cotton adoption. Nor is there any indication that Bt would harm biodiversity or the environment. On the contrary, the reduction in chemical pesticide use has brought about sizeable positive health and environmental effects.

“We acknowledge that cotton farmers in many parts of India suffer from erratic rainfalls and other conditions that can contribute to crop failures and social hardship. We also acknowledge that Bt technology is not a silver bullet to all these problems. But Bt is a solution to some serious pest problems, and farmers are clearly better off with this technology than without it. The scientific evidence for this conclusion is so strong that it cannot simply be ignored. The benefits for poor farmers and consumers will further increase when GM food crops are developed and commercialized,” Prof Rao added.