The gene revolution
- November 14, 2022
- Posted by: OptimizeIAS Team
- Category: DPN Topics
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The gene revolution
Subject: Science and Technology
Context-
- As soon as the government took the decision to release India’s first genetically modified (GM) food crop — Dhara Mustard Hybrid-11 (DMH-11)—for “environment release”, some activists approached the Supreme Court to ban it for various reasons.
Opposition to GM food crops is not new-
- There has been a global campaign in this regard by many activists.
- Yet GM crops have spread around the world since 1996.
- By 2019, roughly 190 million hectares were under GM crops, led by corn and soybean in the US, Brazil, Argentina, and canola (rapeseed/mustard) in Canada, with no harmful impact on human or animal health or the environment.
Status of GM crops around the globe-
- Bangladesh has marched ahead with Bt brinjal.
- More than 70 countries have accepted the use of GM crops.
- In India, the first GM crop, Bt cotton, was released in 2002.
India’s exposure to GMOs-
- GMOs have been in our food systems for years.
- India heavily depends on imported edible oils as 55-60 per cent of India’s domestic requirement is imported.
- About three-four million tonnes every year — comes from Argentina, Brazil, Canada, the US, etc, which is all from GM technology (in soybean and canola).
- We eat plenty of our own cotton seed (binola) oil, and about 95 per cent of our cotton is now GM.
- Cotton seed is also fed to cattle which gives the milk its fat content.
- Poultry feed, such as soya and corn, is being imported.
Lessons from the Bt cotton decision-
- Cotton production increased remarkably from a mere 13.6 million bales (1 bale = 170 kg) in 2002-03 to 39.8 million bales in 2013-14, registering an increase of 192 per cent in just 12 years, ushering the famous “gene revolution”.
- Cotton productivity increased from 302 kg per hectare in 2002-03 to 566 kg per hectare in 2013-14, an increase of 76 per cent, while the area under cotton cultivation expanded by 56 per cent, of which about 95 per cent is under Bt cotton.
- Farmers’ incomes increased significantly.
- Bt cotton led Gujarat’s “agrarian miracle” of a very high (above 8 per cent) annual growth rate in agri-GDP during 2002-03 to 2013-14.
- It made India the second-largest producer after China, and the second-largest exporter after the US, of cotton in the world today.
Concerns expressed by some environmentalists-
- Enhanced sucking pest damage in Bt cotton;
- Increase in secondary pests such as mired bugs and Spodoptera;
- The emergence of pest resistance;
- Environmental and health implications in terms of toxicity and allergenicity that can cause hematotoxin reactions in the human body
- Farmers’ exposure to a greater risk of monopoly in the seed business.
- The collapse of the Honey Bee population.
Probable solution-
- The best way to do so is by raising productivity in a sustainable manner.
- The field trials of GM mustard at different locations showed 25-28 per cent higher yield and better disease resistance compared to indigenous varieties.
- This can go a long way in augmenting domestic mustard oil supplies and farmers’ incomes.
- It was expected that India would be at the forefront of the gene revolution and emerge as a major export hub to other Asian and African countries.
- But once the safety tests are done and the scientific body (GEAC) has given the green signal, what is needed is political leadership to keep the decision-making science-based.