GM CROPS – SCI & TECH
News: Three States rebuff directive to test transgenic cotton
What is in the news?
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Recently, Gujarat,
Maharashtra and Telangana have rebuffed a proposal, approved by the Centre’s
Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC), to test a new kind of
transgenic cotton seed.
Key takeaways from the news:
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The seed in question was
developed by the Hyderabad-based Bio-seed
Research India and contains a gene, cry2Ai,
that purportedly makes cotton resistant to pink bollworm, a major pest.
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Transgenic cotton is the
only GM crop which has been approved and is currently being cultivated in
fields in India.
What are GM crops?
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According
to the WHO, Genetically Modified crops can be defined as crops in which the
genetic material (DNA) has been altered in a way that does not occur naturally.
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Biotechnologists insert
select genes at a random location in the DNA of a plant to develop a GM crop.
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The technology is often
called modern biotechnology or gene technology.
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In India, Bt Cotton is the only variety approved
by the government for commercial cultivation.
Advantages of GM crops:
1. Reducing the input cost:
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GM crops can save
farmers’ income, reduce pesticide load on the environment and provide insect-free
crops to consumers while also boosting the soil conservation efforts.
2. Address
the malnutrition needs:
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Crops can even be
engineered to be more nutritious, providing critical vitamins to populations
that struggle to get specific nutrients needed for healthy living.
3. Food security:
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Given the increased
growth of global population and increased urbanization, GM crops offer one of
the promising solutions to meet the world’s food security needs.
4. Increased income:
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GM crops will reduce the
input cost of the farming and increased income to the farmers will reduce the
poverty level mainly in the rural areas.
4. Biofuel:
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The enhanced yields
available from the current generation of GM crops such as corn and soybeans can
help farmers meet the growing feedstock demand for biofuels.
5. Withstanding climate change:
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They also have a high
tolerance to cold/heat, drought, and salinity which is helpful in the context
of global warming and climate change.
Issues in the GM crops:
1. Environmental Concerns:
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One of the primary
concerns is the potential for unintended environmental impacts. For example, GM
crops that are engineered to be pest-resistant could lead to the development of
resistant insect populations, creating superbugs that are harder to control.
2. Health Concerns:
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Some critics have raised
concerns about the potential health effects of consuming GM crops.
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While the majority of GM
crops currently on the market have undergone safety assessments, there are lingering
doubts about the long-term health impacts.
3. Ethics and Moral Concerns:
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For some individuals and
organizations, the creation of GM crops raises ethical questions related to
tampering with nature, animal rights, and potential unforeseen consequences on
ecosystems and human health.
4. Corporate control:
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This control over farming
is facilitated by GM technology (with accompanying Intellectual Property
Rights), giving them control over the food supply.
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From an economic
standpoint, this poses a risk to long-term food security by creating dependence
on a single or limited number of suppliers.
5. Evolution of super weeds:
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GM technology could also
allow the transfer of genes from one crop to another, creating “super weeds”, which might be immune to
common control methods.
6. Monoculture practice:
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The use of certain GM
crops may encourage monoculture practices, which can result in increased
vulnerability to pests and diseases.
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Eg.
Monoculture practices can decrease soil fertility.
WAY FORWARD:
1. Participatory approach:
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A participatory approach
should be adopted in order to bring together all stakeholders to develop
regulatory protocols. This would ensure trust in the entire process.
2. Research:
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A primary challenge today
is to develop low-input, high-output agriculture. This cannot be achieved
without technology. However, there needs to be extensive research to ensure
that technology does not undermine human and environmental health.
3. Recommendations of Parliamentary Standing
Committee on Agriculture:
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The government must not
allow field trials of GM crops until there is a strong, revamped,
multi-disciplinary regulatory system in place. The Committee studied the
regulatory system in several countries and found that the one in Norway is the
best.
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Mandatory labeling of
products from GM crops.
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Unchecked import of GM
products should be stopped.
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Encourage organic
farming.