Initially genetically modified (GM) seeds were adopted only by developed countries as they were expensive. Time and again, questions were raised on GM seeds not only because of their price but also for environmental factors. However, aggressive marketing tactics finally convinced poor Indian farmers that the high seed-cost would be compensated by higher yield and savings on pesticides. Gradually the use of GM seeds spread to developing countries as well.
The ministry of environment and forests placed a moratorium on the commercialisation GM eggplant in 2010, bringing great uncertainty to the field of agri-biotechnology in India. Though field trials of other GM crops like Bt cotton were not formally halted, the regulatory system was brought to a deadlock, fearing adverse impacts on food safety and biodiversity.
This feat of India’s then minister of environment Jairam Ramesh was widely criticised and was held responsible for taking back India’s agricultural development agenda by several decades. One could easily see this fateful decision as a political gimmick to cooperate with the anti-GM lobby. It was interesting to note that Jairam Ramesh once as a columnist for one of the leading magazines of India, appreciated the benefits of genetically modified versions of rice.
GM technology and GM crops like Bt cotton and Bt Brinjal were not without controversies either. Read to know about Bt cotton controversy.
It is believed that slowing down the development of GM technology in last five year impacted farmers unfavourably. Its application could have helped them to resolve some of the challenges faced due to vagaries of weather. If the research would have continued on crops like wheat, rice, oilseeds, maize and pulses, scientists could have made faster progress in introducing other pipeline technologies like herbicide tolerance, drought tolerance, nitrogen use efficiency and so on.
But its time for rectification! Read to know more.
