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-

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.