94.
‘GM Crops Only Answer To Nation’s Food Security’
Indian Government’s Affidavit To Supreme Court
IANS, November 12, 2012
The central government has told the Supreme Court that it could not achieve the goal of reducing the number of hungry people by half without taking recourse to genetically modified (GM) crops, which could herald the second green revolution in the country.
"Despite rapid economic growth in the past two decades, India is unlikely to meet the target of cutting the proportion of hungry people by half if recourse to advanced and safe biotechnology tools are not adopted," the central government told the apex court in an affidavit.
The central government said GM crops would not only lead to increased food security but would also reduce pressure on land use. While the population had increased by 181 million in the last decade, the land under sowing remained static at 140-143 million hectares since 1970.
The central government pronounced its position backing field trials of GM crops while junking the interim report of the court-appointed Technical Expert Committee (TEC) report, which had recommended a 10-year moratorium on GM crops field trials.
"Despite rapid economic growth in the past two decades, India is unlikely to meet the target of cutting the proportion of hungry people by half if recourse to advanced and safe biotechnology tools are not adopted," the central government told the apex court in an affidavit.
The central government said GM crops would not only lead to increased food security but would also reduce pressure on land use. While the population had increased by 181 million in the last decade, the land under sowing remained static at 140-143 million hectares since 1970.
The central government pronounced its position backing field trials of GM crops while junking the interim report of the court-appointed Technical Expert Committee (TEC) report, which had recommended a 10-year moratorium on GM crops field trials.
The TEC was appointed by the apex court while hearing a petition by Aruna Rodrigues seeking a mechanism mandating scientific examination of all the aspects of biosafety before GM crops are released for commercial cultivation.
Pitching for field trials of GM crops, the government said: "Genetic engineering promises remarkable advances in medicine, agriculture and other fields."
"Ban on GM crop field trials will be highly detrimental and not in national interest," the central government said in its affidavit.
In an attempt to persuade the apex court to reject the recommendation of the TEC, the central government's affidavit said: "In biotechnology and
genetics, the principle sciences behind the GM crops, India has done exceedingly well in investing in HRD, education and training since 1986 with the establishment of department of biotechnology, the first country to do so globally."
It added that the success of the green revolution was driven by sufficient human resources available.
Making a strong plea for field trials of GM crops, the government said that "a 10-year moratorium would have a "cascading effect" of putting all the related research fields which thus far on the upswing into a decline".
It added that it would be a "blow to Indian science as it would put the country 20 years back in scientific research in comparison to fast growing economies who are developing GM crops like Brazil, China etc".
Pitching for field trials of GM crops, the government said: "Genetic engineering promises remarkable advances in medicine, agriculture and other fields."
"Ban on GM crop field trials will be highly detrimental and not in national interest," the central government said in its affidavit.
In an attempt to persuade the apex court to reject the recommendation of the TEC, the central government's affidavit said: "In biotechnology and
genetics, the principle sciences behind the GM crops, India has done exceedingly well in investing in HRD, education and training since 1986 with the establishment of department of biotechnology, the first country to do so globally."
It added that the success of the green revolution was driven by sufficient human resources available.
Making a strong plea for field trials of GM crops, the government said that "a 10-year moratorium would have a "cascading effect" of putting all the related research fields which thus far on the upswing into a decline".
It added that it would be a "blow to Indian science as it would put the country 20 years back in scientific research in comparison to fast growing economies who are developing GM crops like Brazil, China etc".
Government Ignores Adverse Technical Expert Committee (TEC) Report
Neha Saigal, India Together, 26 February 2013
The Ministry of Agriculture moves to introduce adoption of genetically modified crops in India, in the name of food security. Scientists, however, are critical of this move.
Three years ago, the then Minister of Environment and Forests, Jairam Ramesh declared a moratorium on Bt Brinjal, adopting a precautionary approach to the introduction of genetically modified foods in India. More importantly, he cited among his reasons for the moratorium the need to be “responsive to society and responsible to science.”
The decision to impose a moratorium was an important one in many ways. It re-instated the growing evidence by the scientific community on the health and environmental impacts of Genetically Modified (GM) crops, and - perhaps even more importantly - the inadequacies in our own regulatory mechanism to regulate this controversial technology. The most valued lesson from this milestone decision was the coming together of sound science and public opinion, which resulted in democratic decision making.
This year, to mark the importance of 9 February (the date on which the moratorium was issued in 2010), diverse groups from around the country celebrated ‘National Safe Food Day.’
A variety of events from different states around the country displayed the strength and diversity of the opposition to GM crops in India. From the organic mela organised by farmers in Karnataka, to the initiative by young people in Kerala to spread awareness about the risks of switching to GM crops, and a rally of 300 people in Gujarat, the day saw strong voices of opposition to GM crops echo throughout the country.
Three years ago, the then Minister of Environment and Forests, Jairam Ramesh declared a moratorium on Bt Brinjal, adopting a precautionary approach to the introduction of genetically modified foods in India. More importantly, he cited among his reasons for the moratorium the need to be “responsive to society and responsible to science.”
The decision to impose a moratorium was an important one in many ways. It re-instated the growing evidence by the scientific community on the health and environmental impacts of Genetically Modified (GM) crops, and - perhaps even more importantly - the inadequacies in our own regulatory mechanism to regulate this controversial technology. The most valued lesson from this milestone decision was the coming together of sound science and public opinion, which resulted in democratic decision making.
This year, to mark the importance of 9 February (the date on which the moratorium was issued in 2010), diverse groups from around the country celebrated ‘National Safe Food Day.’
A variety of events from different states around the country displayed the strength and diversity of the opposition to GM crops in India. From the organic mela organised by farmers in Karnataka, to the initiative by young people in Kerala to spread awareness about the risks of switching to GM crops, and a rally of 300 people in Gujarat, the day saw strong voices of opposition to GM crops echo throughout the country.
At least in India, say, hundred years before, there was no problem for eating, even for the lower class or any... No, there was no... The society was so made, there was no problem. Why fifty years? In 1933 or ’36 in Vrndavana somebody wanted milk, some pilgrims amongst ourselves. So went to a house. “Can you supply us some milk?” “Ah, how much you want?” So it was about ten pounds. So she supplied immediately, one woman, and when she was offered price, “Oh, why shall I take a price for ten or twenty pounds of milk? Oh, you can take it.” That is my practical experience. Milk was so freely available. So simply we are creating problems by godless civilization. That is a fact.
— Srila Prabhupada (Room Conversation, December 21, 1970, Surat, India)
In Bangalore, Greenpeace volunteers created the image of happy brinjals walking down a traffic signal, imitating the famous Beatle’s Abbey Road album cover. The message that these smiling brinjals carried was one of hope -that the people of India can imagine a GM-Free future due to the moratorium on Bt Brinjal and can only hope that the current Minister of Environment, Jayanthi Natrajan will also uphold the precedent set by Jairam Ramesh.
The most valued lesson from the moratorium decision was the coming together of sound science and public opinion, which resulted in democratic decision making.
While the debate around GM crops in India has always shown the voices of dissent from civil society, the past few months have also established that science is divided on the need for and the safety of GM crops. One recent example was the scientific interim report by the Technical Expert Committee (TEC) of the Supreme Court in October 2012. The report highlighted the potential impact of GM crops on human health, biodiversity and our socio-economic conditions, and has recommended a precautionary approach towards the adoption of GM crops, including those being released for open field trials.
The most valued lesson from the moratorium decision was the coming together of sound science and public opinion, which resulted in democratic decision making.
While the debate around GM crops in India has always shown the voices of dissent from civil society, the past few months have also established that science is divided on the need for and the safety of GM crops. One recent example was the scientific interim report by the Technical Expert Committee (TEC) of the Supreme Court in October 2012. The report highlighted the potential impact of GM crops on human health, biodiversity and our socio-economic conditions, and has recommended a precautionary approach towards the adoption of GM crops, including those being released for open field trials.
The Kali-yuga people will forget performing yajna. They will be busy in ghora-rupa activities, horrible and fierceful activities, not yajna. They will neglect yajna. So then how your these bolts and nuts and rubber tires will help you? Therefore there is scarcity of anna, food grains. That will increase more and more. It will so increase that now you are getting anna by paying high price, but time will come when even if you are prepared to pay price, there will be no more grains. That time is coming. Naturally, what people will eat? They will eat mamsa (meat) and roots and seeds. No milk. No sugar. No wheat.
-Srila Prabhupada, (Lecture, Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.26.26 — Bombay, January 3, 1975)
The Government, however, has decided to ignore this warning. The Ministry of Agriculture, on behalf of the Government of India, has filed an affidavit to the effect that we need GM crops in order to achieve food security in this country. This is the same argument that is used by global biotech companies to promote GM crops. This is also an argument made very casually and loosely - exactly what food security the government seeks, while it has no capacity for storing and transporting the produce that is already grown, is never spelled out properly.
It is very absurd that the Ministry of Agriculture, under Minister Sharad Pawar, seeks to lead the country down the path of GM crops while scientists
from around the nation have roundly criticised the illogic of GM crops being linked to food security.
While civil society celebrated the moratorium on BT Brinjal on 9 February, a letter addressed to Jayanthi Natrajan, signed by 150 scientists, was made public. The letter highlights that GM crops are only grown in 3 per cent of the world’s agricultural lands, and in countries like the USA, which is the largest cultivator of GM crops, food insecurity has actually increased. The scientists finally urge the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) to come forward to accept the recommendations of the TEC, so that the MoA does not misdirect the debate on GM crops and food security in the country.
The sounds and colours of the celebrations of the National Safe Food Day have a serious message for our decision makers. There has been enough and more evidence in the last year pointing to the inefficiency in our regulatory system and the risk to human/animal health and biodiversity. This was also emphasised in the report by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Agriculture, which was tabled in August 2012; its recommendations were unanimously agreed across party lines.
What further evidence does the Government need? If the MoEF is not going to act on the recommendations of the Committee, it must explain to the public why not. For the moment, the problem appears to be that the only ‘explanations’ it can offer don’t find favour with the scientific community. Such deliberate ignorance of informed input only adds fuel to the fire of suspicion that the Government’s actions reflect the agenda of vested interests in corporate agriculture, rather than the public interest.
It is very absurd that the Ministry of Agriculture, under Minister Sharad Pawar, seeks to lead the country down the path of GM crops while scientists
from around the nation have roundly criticised the illogic of GM crops being linked to food security.
While civil society celebrated the moratorium on BT Brinjal on 9 February, a letter addressed to Jayanthi Natrajan, signed by 150 scientists, was made public. The letter highlights that GM crops are only grown in 3 per cent of the world’s agricultural lands, and in countries like the USA, which is the largest cultivator of GM crops, food insecurity has actually increased. The scientists finally urge the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) to come forward to accept the recommendations of the TEC, so that the MoA does not misdirect the debate on GM crops and food security in the country.
The sounds and colours of the celebrations of the National Safe Food Day have a serious message for our decision makers. There has been enough and more evidence in the last year pointing to the inefficiency in our regulatory system and the risk to human/animal health and biodiversity. This was also emphasised in the report by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Agriculture, which was tabled in August 2012; its recommendations were unanimously agreed across party lines.
What further evidence does the Government need? If the MoEF is not going to act on the recommendations of the Committee, it must explain to the public why not. For the moment, the problem appears to be that the only ‘explanations’ it can offer don’t find favour with the scientific community. Such deliberate ignorance of informed input only adds fuel to the fire of suspicion that the Government’s actions reflect the agenda of vested interests in corporate agriculture, rather than the public interest.
Food Rights Organisations Flay Agriculture Minister’s Pitch For GM Crops
Bureau, The Hindu Business Line, February 19, 2013
Food rights organisations, under the aegis of the Right to Food Campaign (RFC), have written to Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar urging him to tackle food security in more ‘fundamental ways’ rather than link it with genetically modified (GM) crops.
At a press conference here, RFC released the letter signed by hundreds of organisations, including National Advisory Council member Aruna Roy criticising the Agriculture Ministry’s stance in an affidavit to the Supreme Court calling it a “trivialisation and mockery of the grave situation of hunger and malnutrition that exists in India”.
“In this affidavit, your Ministry argued that GM crops and their field trials were needed for India’s food security, in addition to wilfully choosing to misinterpret the sound recommendations of the Technical Expert Committee set up by the Supreme Court,” says the letter.
Maintaining that food security was not “a simplistic supply-related matter, as our paradox of overflowing godowns, record buffer stocks and the hungry millions showcases”, the letter said it was unfortunate that while the discourse around food security and hunger had become more nuanced the world over, the Indian Government chooses to be “unscientific” in its outlook.
It urged the Agriculture Ministry not to “come in the way of much-needed improvements in the transgenics scene in India,” reminding it of the recommendations made by the Technical Expert Committee.
The letter said it did not make sense that the Ministry, instead of focusing on strengthening local food production and distribution, was diverting valuable investments towards “controversial, unproven techno-fixes.”
Pushing for the GM crops to boost farm output, Pawar on Monday had said scientists should not be denied the right to conduct field trials of such crops. In August last year, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Agriculture had recommended discontinuation of that all field trials in GM crops. Three years earlier, the Government had placed a moratorium on the commercial release of Bt brinjal.
At a press conference here, RFC released the letter signed by hundreds of organisations, including National Advisory Council member Aruna Roy criticising the Agriculture Ministry’s stance in an affidavit to the Supreme Court calling it a “trivialisation and mockery of the grave situation of hunger and malnutrition that exists in India”.
“In this affidavit, your Ministry argued that GM crops and their field trials were needed for India’s food security, in addition to wilfully choosing to misinterpret the sound recommendations of the Technical Expert Committee set up by the Supreme Court,” says the letter.
Maintaining that food security was not “a simplistic supply-related matter, as our paradox of overflowing godowns, record buffer stocks and the hungry millions showcases”, the letter said it was unfortunate that while the discourse around food security and hunger had become more nuanced the world over, the Indian Government chooses to be “unscientific” in its outlook.
It urged the Agriculture Ministry not to “come in the way of much-needed improvements in the transgenics scene in India,” reminding it of the recommendations made by the Technical Expert Committee.
The letter said it did not make sense that the Ministry, instead of focusing on strengthening local food production and distribution, was diverting valuable investments towards “controversial, unproven techno-fixes.”
Pushing for the GM crops to boost farm output, Pawar on Monday had said scientists should not be denied the right to conduct field trials of such crops. In August last year, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Agriculture had recommended discontinuation of that all field trials in GM crops. Three years earlier, the Government had placed a moratorium on the commercial release of Bt brinjal.
Some Urgent Considerations On Genetically Modified Crops And Food Security
Neha Saigal, March 4, 2013
maharha-vastrabharanakancukosnisa-bhusitah
gopah samayayu rajan
nanopayana-panayah
O King Pariksit, the cowherd men dressed very opulently with valuable ornaments and garments such as coats and turbans. Decorated in this way and carrying various presentations in their hands, they approached the house of Nanda Maharaja.
When we consider the past condition of the agriculturalist in the village, we can see how opulent he was, simply because of agricultural produce and protection of cows. At the present, however, agriculture having been neglected and cow protection given up, the agriculturalist is suffering pitiably and is dressed in a niggardly torn cloth. This is the distinction between the India of history and the India of the present day. By the atrocious activities of ugra-karma, how we are killing the opportunity of human civilization!
~ Srila Prabhupada (Srimad Bhagavatam 10.5.8)
The Budget Session is upon us and we might be witness to one of UPA’s most ambitious flagship programmes, the National Food Security Bill (NFSB), becoming a reality. So it seems like Food Security is the flavour of this session with President, Mr Pranab Mukherjee, reiterating UPA’s commitment to food security in his maiden speech at the start of the Budget Session.
But this commitment comes under serious question when one of the responsible agencies of the Government dilutes the issue of food security and further misleads the debate on an important issue like hunger and malnutrition. I am referring to the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) under Sharad Pawar mindlessly promoting GM crops as a solution to food security.
Sharad Pawar has, on more than one occasion, voiced the faulty argument that GM is needed to feed India’s growing population. This was overly emphasised by the Ministry on behalf of the Union of India in its affidavit to the Supreme Court in the PIL of GMOs.[1] This narrow minded and false argument put forth by the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) is unfortunately the same approach put forward by global biotech companies and their cronies to promote controversial GM technology in food and farming, overlooking the obvious risks with Genetically Modified (GM) crops and at the same time trivialising the debate on food security in India.
Indian Paradox Of Excess Production And Increasing Starvation
A logical understanding of what constitutes food security and the food production situation in India will paint a clearer picture as to why GM is no silver bullet to food security and not much more than a very expensive distraction.
The MoA along with the promoters of GM crops have advocated the need for GM crops to increase production and feed India’s growing population. But an analysis of the food grain production confirms the Indian paradox of excess production and increasing starvation.
The Economic Survey 2013 presented a day before the budget suggests that production has improved remarkably growing twice as fast as the population. It has also noted that the food grain production was at a record high of 259.32 million tonnes in 2011-12. Apart from food grain production India is also ranked 1st in the world in fresh fruit, milk and pulses production and 2nd in terms of production of fresh vegetables.
So clearly India need not be in a hurry to adopt risky technology like GM crops to increase production and this was also pointed out by the recommendations of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Agriculture.
GM Crops Do Not Fit The Bill Of Food Security
If one were insistent to go down the path of the need for increased production through increased yield, one would find again that GM crops have failed to show any increase in yield in the nearly two decades of their existence. There has been no GM crop developed anywhere in the world to increase yield. The Bt cotton experience back home and a look at government statistics only confirms this and further raises many a question on the sustainability to Indian farming. The insignificant increase in yield when Bt cotton area touched 96% was also accepted by the Planning Commission of India in its draft of the 12th year plan. Further, Bt cotton has only added to the burden of agrarian distress of the small, marginal and landless farm families who also are highly food insecure.
But this commitment comes under serious question when one of the responsible agencies of the Government dilutes the issue of food security and further misleads the debate on an important issue like hunger and malnutrition. I am referring to the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) under Sharad Pawar mindlessly promoting GM crops as a solution to food security.
Sharad Pawar has, on more than one occasion, voiced the faulty argument that GM is needed to feed India’s growing population. This was overly emphasised by the Ministry on behalf of the Union of India in its affidavit to the Supreme Court in the PIL of GMOs.[1] This narrow minded and false argument put forth by the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) is unfortunately the same approach put forward by global biotech companies and their cronies to promote controversial GM technology in food and farming, overlooking the obvious risks with Genetically Modified (GM) crops and at the same time trivialising the debate on food security in India.
Indian Paradox Of Excess Production And Increasing Starvation
A logical understanding of what constitutes food security and the food production situation in India will paint a clearer picture as to why GM is no silver bullet to food security and not much more than a very expensive distraction.
The MoA along with the promoters of GM crops have advocated the need for GM crops to increase production and feed India’s growing population. But an analysis of the food grain production confirms the Indian paradox of excess production and increasing starvation.
The Economic Survey 2013 presented a day before the budget suggests that production has improved remarkably growing twice as fast as the population. It has also noted that the food grain production was at a record high of 259.32 million tonnes in 2011-12. Apart from food grain production India is also ranked 1st in the world in fresh fruit, milk and pulses production and 2nd in terms of production of fresh vegetables.
So clearly India need not be in a hurry to adopt risky technology like GM crops to increase production and this was also pointed out by the recommendations of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Agriculture.
GM Crops Do Not Fit The Bill Of Food Security
If one were insistent to go down the path of the need for increased production through increased yield, one would find again that GM crops have failed to show any increase in yield in the nearly two decades of their existence. There has been no GM crop developed anywhere in the world to increase yield. The Bt cotton experience back home and a look at government statistics only confirms this and further raises many a question on the sustainability to Indian farming. The insignificant increase in yield when Bt cotton area touched 96% was also accepted by the Planning Commission of India in its draft of the 12th year plan. Further, Bt cotton has only added to the burden of agrarian distress of the small, marginal and landless farm families who also are highly food insecure.
ime jana-padah svrddhah supakvausadhi-virudhah
vanadri-nady-udanvanto hy edhante tava viksitaih
“All these cities and villages are flourishing in all respects because the herbs and grains are in abundance, the trees are full of fruits, the rivers are flowing, the hills are full of minerals and the oceans full of wealth. And this is all due to Your glancing over them.”
This is Vedic civilization. There is mention of so many things, that “The grains are in abundance and the trees are full of fruits. The rivers are flowing nicely. The hills are full of minerals and the ocean full of wealth.” So where is the scarcity? There is no mention that slaughterhouse is flourishing, industry is flourishing. No such mention. There are all nonsense things they have created. Therefore problems are there. If you depend on God’s creation, then there is no scarcity, simply ananda. If the trees are full of fruits, if you have got sufficient grains and... Because there is sufficient grains, there is sufficient grass also. The animals, the cows, they will eat the grass. You’ll eat the grains, the fruits. And the animal will help you, the bulls will help you to produce grains. And he will partake little, what you throw away.
-Srila Prabhupada (Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.8.40 -- Los Angeles, May 2, 1973)
GM crops are controversial world over and do not fit the pillars of food security defined by credible agencies like the WHO. Apart from the monopolistic control of seeds, control of our food systems by seed companies and cost of high cultivation for farmers, there is growing scientific evidence on the health and environmental risks of GM crops. Therefore GM crops do not pass the food safety criterion which is very vital to food security.
Mockery Of Food Security And Ignorance To Public Opposition Of GM Crops
Hunger and malnutrition is a vital issue for a country like India and every citizen is concerned that half the children in this country are underweight and a third of them are born malnourished. What is worrying is a mockery of such an important and complex issue by Sharad Pawar and the biotech giants by offering simplistic techno-fixes like GM crops.
“On the eve of the budget session to voice their opposition, 17 Greenpeace activists occupied the FCI godown in Delhi to challenge Sharad Pawar on this mindless, unfounded promotion of GM crops for food security. While 12 of these young activists were detained for 12 hours by the police, as are many activists in this country for expressing dissent with the State on several issues.”
The Government’s effort to ignore public opposition has been ongoing with the debate on GM crops in the country; it cannot be the case anymore as the opposition has become stronger and diverse over the last few months.
From the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Agriculture to the high profile scientific Technical Expert Committee[2] appointed by the Supreme Court, all have recommended to tread cautiously down the path of GM crops. Very recently 150 scientists from around the country have also expressed their displeasure at the unscientific advocacy of GM crops by the MoA for food security[3].
Can The Common Man Pin His Hope On The Government?
There is enough evidence and many alternatives if one wants to seriously consider India’s farming to be sustainable and to ensure that every Indian has the access to available food. But the Agriculture Minister’s relentless attitude to introduce GM into food and farming can make anyone wonder whether this is due to vested interests and not public interest. Unfortunately this attitude seems to be the representation of the Government of India in important judicial arenas like in the PIL filed in the Supreme Court on GMOs.
Mockery Of Food Security And Ignorance To Public Opposition Of GM Crops
Hunger and malnutrition is a vital issue for a country like India and every citizen is concerned that half the children in this country are underweight and a third of them are born malnourished. What is worrying is a mockery of such an important and complex issue by Sharad Pawar and the biotech giants by offering simplistic techno-fixes like GM crops.
“On the eve of the budget session to voice their opposition, 17 Greenpeace activists occupied the FCI godown in Delhi to challenge Sharad Pawar on this mindless, unfounded promotion of GM crops for food security. While 12 of these young activists were detained for 12 hours by the police, as are many activists in this country for expressing dissent with the State on several issues.”
The Government’s effort to ignore public opposition has been ongoing with the debate on GM crops in the country; it cannot be the case anymore as the opposition has become stronger and diverse over the last few months.
From the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Agriculture to the high profile scientific Technical Expert Committee[2] appointed by the Supreme Court, all have recommended to tread cautiously down the path of GM crops. Very recently 150 scientists from around the country have also expressed their displeasure at the unscientific advocacy of GM crops by the MoA for food security[3].
Can The Common Man Pin His Hope On The Government?
There is enough evidence and many alternatives if one wants to seriously consider India’s farming to be sustainable and to ensure that every Indian has the access to available food. But the Agriculture Minister’s relentless attitude to introduce GM into food and farming can make anyone wonder whether this is due to vested interests and not public interest. Unfortunately this attitude seems to be the representation of the Government of India in important judicial arenas like in the PIL filed in the Supreme Court on GMOs.
It is only obvious that the common man is left confused and angry by the cruel joke played the Government where on one hand they talk about their commitment to bring in a National Food Security Bill and on the other they want to open the flood gates to risky GM crops and allow multi-national biotech companies to take over our food and farming system, destroying the livelihood of the poorest farmer in this country and paving the path for food insecurity for the next many future generations.
In this situation with a schizophrenic government and profit hungry biotech companies, is there anyone that the common man can pin his hope on? The history of GM crops has shown the Ministry of Environment under Mr Jairam Ramesh stand up for public interest and declared a moratorium on Bt Brinjal at that time.
Can we expect the same from Smt Jayanthi Natrajan, the current Minister of Environment and also the decision maker on GM crops in India to intervene so that the Ministry of Agriculture does not lead the country down the dangerous path of GM crops under the fallacy that it is a need for food security?
In this situation with a schizophrenic government and profit hungry biotech companies, is there anyone that the common man can pin his hope on? The history of GM crops has shown the Ministry of Environment under Mr Jairam Ramesh stand up for public interest and declared a moratorium on Bt Brinjal at that time.
Can we expect the same from Smt Jayanthi Natrajan, the current Minister of Environment and also the decision maker on GM crops in India to intervene so that the Ministry of Agriculture does not lead the country down the dangerous path of GM crops under the fallacy that it is a need for food security?
Now in black market you can get things, means eatables, rice, wheat. But if you don’t take to Bhagavad-gita, there will be no more even if you pay black price. Just time it... That time is coming. There will be no more available. There will be no milk. There will be no more sugar. There will be no more rice. There will be no more wheat. No more fruits. Then you have to eat meat. Oh, beef shop. Then that will go on. Then human shop also. Gradually it will come. You have to eat the human being also. Cannibals. So it is therefore a great necessity that rajarsayo viduh, raja, those who are government men, they must study Bhagavad-gita. Otherwise don’t give them vote.
-Srila Prabhupada (Lecture, Bhagavad-gita 4.2 — Bombay, March 22, 1974)
References:
[1] http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/industry-and-economy/agri-biz/food-rights-organisations-flay-sharad-pawars-pitch-for-gm-crops/ article4432415.ece
[2] http://indiagminfo.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/SC-TEC-interim-report-oct17th-2012-GMO-PIL.pdf
[3] http://indiagminfo.org/?p=540
[1] http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/industry-and-economy/agri-biz/food-rights-organisations-flay-sharad-pawars-pitch-for-gm-crops/ article4432415.ece
[2] http://indiagminfo.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/SC-TEC-interim-report-oct17th-2012-GMO-PIL.pdf
[3] http://indiagminfo.org/?p=540
Biodiversity Is Key In The Road Map To Food Security With No Role For GM Crops
By Neha Saigal, 18 October, 2012, Countercurrents.org
There has been much talk around biological diversity and biosafety in the country as India was host to the eleventh meeting of the Conference of Parties to the Convention of Biological Diversity (COP-11) and the sixth meeting of the Conference of the Parties serving as the Meeting of the Parties to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (COP-MOP6) in Hyderabad. During these conventions there are also elaborate speeches made by our political leaders that bring in a new ray of hope to the environment & nature which always seems to take a back seat when we talk of a country’s development.
As we watch the sun go down, evening after evening, through the smog across the poisoned waters of our native earth, we must ask ourselves seriously whether we really wish some future universal historian on another planet to say about us: “With all their genius and with all their skill, they ran out of foresight and air and food and water and ideas,” or, “They went on playing politics until their world collapsed around them.”
~ U Thant
One such recent speech was that of the Indian Prime Minister’s at the inauguration of the high level segment of the 11th CoP, where he stated all the right things, but the question that lingers is whether he meant all of what he said and whether it will reflect in policy making from now on.
If one were to focus on part of the speech around food security, one would be left thoroughly confused as the government’s policies in agriculture are in a different direction. I also choose to focus on the food security bit of the PM’s speech as it was made on 16th of October which was marked as World Food Day.
Quoting a part of the PM’s speech:
“We know that food security is a key challenge for the world, particularly in an increasingly climate vulnerable world. Biodiversity, found in our forests and our fields, could provide us keys to the solutions of the future. So we need to build a movement to conserve traditional varieties of crops.”
But on the contrary the Prime Minister has been strongly advocating that Genetically Modified (GM) crops are key to increasing productivity in agriculture and also his government strongly asserts that they are essential for food security. It is clear from these contradicting lines of thought that there is a huge lack of understanding within the Manmohan Singh’s Government on the issue of food security, though it has been one of the supposed main agenda’s of the UPA government.
On one hand there is an understanding that agro-biodiversity systems are essential to food security especially in the face of climate change. In India farmers for many years have developed locally diverse crop systems with traditional seeds which have been sustainable and this has also played an important role in fulfilling their nutritional requirements. On the other hand the government is advocating for GM crops which is in conflict to encouraging biodiversity in fields.
It’s no secret that GM crops encourage monocultures and are also known to contaminate other non-GM crops, there have been instances in our own backyard of contamination. So, in the context of food security we need to decide whether we want GM crops or biodiversity in our farms as both cannot co-exist. Added to this there is growing scientific evidence that GM crops are not safe for human and animal consumption and this does not fit into the ambit of food security which is also about access to safe food.
There is an increasing consensus around the world that food security is going to be more and more dependent on agrobiodiversity and not on chemical intensive agricultural practices or GM technology in agriculture.
A very exhaustive and comprehensive report was produced in our own country by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Agriculture headed by Shri Basudev Achariya. The report which was unanimously accepted by 31 MPs across party lines was tabled in Parliament on the 9th of August 2012. The Committee has recommended the government to come up with a fresh road map to ensure food security that involves sustainable agricultural practices and excludes technologies like GM in agriculture that jeopardize biodiversity and human health.
So respected Prime Minister you got one thing right that biodiversity in our forests and fields is essential for achieving food security especially in these vulnerable times, but if you are going down that road, you have to realize that GM crops play no role.
If one were to focus on part of the speech around food security, one would be left thoroughly confused as the government’s policies in agriculture are in a different direction. I also choose to focus on the food security bit of the PM’s speech as it was made on 16th of October which was marked as World Food Day.
Quoting a part of the PM’s speech:
“We know that food security is a key challenge for the world, particularly in an increasingly climate vulnerable world. Biodiversity, found in our forests and our fields, could provide us keys to the solutions of the future. So we need to build a movement to conserve traditional varieties of crops.”
But on the contrary the Prime Minister has been strongly advocating that Genetically Modified (GM) crops are key to increasing productivity in agriculture and also his government strongly asserts that they are essential for food security. It is clear from these contradicting lines of thought that there is a huge lack of understanding within the Manmohan Singh’s Government on the issue of food security, though it has been one of the supposed main agenda’s of the UPA government.
On one hand there is an understanding that agro-biodiversity systems are essential to food security especially in the face of climate change. In India farmers for many years have developed locally diverse crop systems with traditional seeds which have been sustainable and this has also played an important role in fulfilling their nutritional requirements. On the other hand the government is advocating for GM crops which is in conflict to encouraging biodiversity in fields.
It’s no secret that GM crops encourage monocultures and are also known to contaminate other non-GM crops, there have been instances in our own backyard of contamination. So, in the context of food security we need to decide whether we want GM crops or biodiversity in our farms as both cannot co-exist. Added to this there is growing scientific evidence that GM crops are not safe for human and animal consumption and this does not fit into the ambit of food security which is also about access to safe food.
There is an increasing consensus around the world that food security is going to be more and more dependent on agrobiodiversity and not on chemical intensive agricultural practices or GM technology in agriculture.
A very exhaustive and comprehensive report was produced in our own country by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Agriculture headed by Shri Basudev Achariya. The report which was unanimously accepted by 31 MPs across party lines was tabled in Parliament on the 9th of August 2012. The Committee has recommended the government to come up with a fresh road map to ensure food security that involves sustainable agricultural practices and excludes technologies like GM in agriculture that jeopardize biodiversity and human health.
So respected Prime Minister you got one thing right that biodiversity in our forests and fields is essential for achieving food security especially in these vulnerable times, but if you are going down that road, you have to realize that GM crops play no role.
