No way to protest

Environment activists have torched experimental transgenic rice fields to lend a fresh stimulus to the debate on genetically modified (GM) plants. While debate on the benefits of GM foods is necessary, vandalism as a form of protest cannot be endorsed. The protestors have also roped in some farmers' organisations, notably the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) of Mahinder Singh Tikait. The involvement of such bodies will divert attention from serious debate, and shift focus to uninformed action""recall the campaign which said that farmers would not be able to use neem twigs to brush their teeth if the Dunkel draft went through in the last WTO trade round. What farmers need to see is real productivity change, and when they do that they will adopt new technologies, not reject them. This is borne out by the way farmers have lapped up insect-protected transgenic cotton (Bt-cotton) despite intense propaganda against it.

The interesting twist in the case of rice is the support lent to the anti-GM rice agitators by rice exporters (without, of course, being party to acts of vandalism like destroying experimental farms). What the rice exporters fear""and with some reason""is the open field trials of the GM rice resulting, even accidentally, in genetic contamination of other rice varieties, including commercially important Basmati rice, for that will jeopardise rice exports, certainly to the European Union and perhaps to other destinations as well. Basmati exports to the EU alone are valued at around Rs 500 crore a year. The rice exporters' disquiet is understandable also because the EU is known to be highly sensitive to GM products, as reflected in its recent ban on all rice imports from the US on the detection of just a trace of contamination in an imported consignment. Thus, it is imperative that sufficient precaution is taken by way of suitable isolation to ensure that genes do not escape from the trial fields and get established in other crops. Since genetic engineering is a relatively new science, caution is essential to ward off any unintended problems. In areas where stringent bio-safety measures are not possible, open field trials should not be allowed.

This does not mean that GM research should be abandoned, or that GM products should not be subjected to field trials. Besides being economically important because of their higher productivity and lower input cost, GM products offer numerous advantages. Crops with in-built resistance against pests and diseases can help curtail the use of pesticides. The transgenic, Vitamin-A enriched Golden Rice, which is ready to go commercial in several countries, can help curb the deficiency of this vital vitamin that prevents blindness among children who are fed a rice-dominated diet. Fruits and vegetables containing doses of vaccines against dreaded diseases are among the other distinct possibilities that are on the verge of being realised. Those concerned with possible damage to the environment would be well advised to sit with the authorities concerned and review""and, if needed, modify""today's GM seed-testing procedures instead of resorting to unlawful acts. Otherwise, India, already a late starter in harnessing the potential of biotechnology, will fall further behind others, to the detriment of its agriculture and denying the country several associated benefits.