There has been a lot critics and
encouragement also on my earlier articles on this subject. And I want to take
this subject in much depth covering all aspects, social, economic, and
scientific as well.
At the end of a article
(http://server-t88.e2enetworks.net.in/node/4985 )
Shri.K P Nair admitted that
"He is not saying that GM technology has no place in India and his
concerned is about that we don't have a way to test the bio safety of GM crops,
especially brinjal, rice, okra".
This clears that we are in need
of more advanced crops than what we sow conventionally. There are various kind
of discussion moved forward by both GM and Organic food Supporter. However we
cannot neglect the fact that it is imperative for agriculture sector to move
further to feed the exponentially increasing populations, to create alternate
for fossil fuels, to have a better financial output to farmer. The readers and
the entire world will be less concern about the way of farming weather it is GM
crops, organic crops or magnetically modified crops. The people are sensitive
about the spending to output ratio. If they have alternate of GM crops some
types of which don't require fertilizers, pesticides and can retain in lesser
amount of water they will follow the trend. Even in Orrisa where Bt Cotton is
banned, farmers continue farming with Bt Cotton only leaving the District Crop
Officers helpless.
Also in the interview, Basudeb
Acharia, Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Agriculture, on its new report, “Cultivation of
Genetically Modified Food Crops — Prospects and Effects.” Published in the
Hindu some errors of the reports are as follows:-
1) In India besides MMB's BT
cotton India developed technologies are available from companies like Nath
Seeds, JK seeds & Metahelix. BT cotton from MMB reaches to farmers through
seeds of farmers choice supplied by more than 40 Indian seed companies.Farmers
have all the choice including choice to not plant cotton, if not happy. Farmers
in India are smart to choose what works for them. They choose Bt Cotton as they
experience benefit season after season.
2) Price of Cotton seed
containing Bollgard II technology today is Rs. 930 per packet and MMB get paid
Rs. 163.28 as technology fee. Technology helps farmers save 5-7 rounds of
insecticides plus application cost. Several independent studies have
docuemented benefit of Rs. 5000-10000 per acre to the Bt Cotton farmer over
non-Bt Cotton.
3) Biotech crops have been
safely grown & consumed all over world for almost two decades without any
adverse report.
At last I would emphasis on the
fact that it is a need of hour to have change in our agriculture sector,
weather using GM Crops or any other means. However it sad to mention that in a
severe blow to the future of genetically modified (GM) food crops in India, a
high-level committee appointed by the Supreme Court has recommended stopping
all ongoing open field trials on such crops for 10 years until a new set of
conditions is enforced on 19 October of 2012 and further deliberations on the
case are expected on 29 October. It will not be prudent to have total ban on GM
crops testing in the country where food demand is constantly rising.
4 comments:
This is going interesting now!
First of all, Indian farmers hardly have any choice to select the seeds they want. It is completely controlled by admin and local companies/distributors who sell seeds in any region. In fact at many places, farmers don't even know what they are cultivating (Experience from Bundelkhand). And seed market is highly contaminated that even they choose non-GM or GM seed as per their wish, u cannot guarantee. We have seen cases of fouls from both sides in the field. (experience in Devas, MP)
To broaden your understanding, do watch the documentary by P Sainath on agrarian crisis, and "The world according to Monsanto". U will get an better idea of the agrarian crisis in India.
Yes. there are other technologies of which successful experiments are done in India (and across world). I am pointing to organic farming. Sikkim would have not gone for it just like that otherwise. But the agriculture sector is highly dominated by the policies which are driven by companies which sell pesticides, herbisides, GM etc etc. So government really do not want to promote organic farming.
On ur first and last paragraph: yes, there is a need of hour to increase production, by some or other way. Such promising solutions need to be promoted. Technology surely have a role to play, but then promising technology, and not the one which is used to fill the pockets of companies and politician. And we need to study any technology in the context of regional, national and international scenario of economics and politics also. We need to broaden our lenses before we advocate any technology.
As we have started on technology (as we are technology nurds by our graduation training), I would suggest you to have a look at the concept of approapriate technologies and a book called "Small is beautiful - E F Schumacher"
Thank you mam for your valuable suggestions and refrences.
My grandfather Shri.Dr.D.A.Patil, is a world class professor of botany. He has won more than a dozen awards in plans and botanical work. In this diwali vacation I will ask him the exact solution to this problem. Dr.D.A.Patil is father of our friend Parag Patil
A job in Intel Corporation could be a better achievement for many,but instead of this "to work for improving the livehood of our society members" is best achievement for me. Meet my Friend Seema. She have refused many lucrative job offers from software firms to join this social services club, which are merely chosen by the young talent. It is a very gud example set for students running mere behind matrialstic things and getting frustated at middle of carrier.
My blogs are mere a summary of articles appeared in renowed publications, but the comments from social personalities like Seema,Pranjal suggest me to go more depth in this socioeconmic subjects. These people are real working at sites,hence these opinions do carry a lot of weightage. I will try better in my next blog to meet these expectations.
Food for thought...
1. Article by P sainath, the monsotrous number showing agrarian crisis.
http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/columns/sainath/farm-suicides-rise-in-maharashtra-state-still-leads-the-list/article3595351.ece
2. TOI fooling around regarding BT-cotton. Media is so corrupt these days, that we cannot trust on the information floated by even renown media sources. Manipulated truth comes infront of us. P Sainath reveals how Monsonto and TOI are hands in glove to promote BT cotton.
http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/columns/sainath/reaping-gold-through-cotton-and-newsprint/article3401466.ece
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