Times Agricultural Journal

Testing World over, no technology, barring nuclear technology, has evoked as much passion and uproar as genetic modification (GM). Modern biotechnology greatly benefits the quality and quantity of food, human and animal health, and the environment. Unfortunately, misinformation and misunderstanding about biotechnology in the popular media make it difficult for consumers to make informed assessments. While sceptics’ fear about the long-term effects of GM may be justified to an extent, they need to take care not to throw out the baby along with the bath water. Real informed choice requires real information. To avoid confusion about the origin and safety of any GM product, which often overshadows its benefits and utility, the information generated should be transferred and shared specially by the developed nations. And this is where technology transfer offices (TTO’s) can play a critical role in developing countries like India.

But before going on to technology transfer, a brief look at the biotechnology scenario is important. Biotechnology involves the use of living systems to give society more or better foods, drugs, and other products. In this sense, we have been applying biotechnology since the dawn of civilisation. Nature is constantly mutating genes and even moving them from one species to another. With biotechnology, humans can direct genetic changes to benefit human endeavors. According to biotechnologists, the direct introduction of one or more genes into crops results in subtle and less disruptive changes. These changes are however, relatively more specific and often predictable as compared to the conventional cross hybridisation practices followed for centuries by farmers or the process of mutagenic irradiation employed in the late 1990s.

Modern practices of farming have steadily increased the supply of nutritious food in the world. Two decades ago, many agricultural scientists embraced the then emerging recombinant DNA technology as a potent tool in enhancing crop productivity and food quality while promoting sustainable agriculture. Today, biotechnology through genetic engineering (GE) or genetic modification (GM) claims to offer the world access to food crops with improved food value.

The potential positive impacts of genetically modified GM crops include a decrease in the agricultural expenditure to preserve natural ecosystems, an improvement in the quality of air, water, soil by reduced tillage, phytoremedial clean up of contaminated soil, water and air.

Most private sector biotech companies, like Aventis, Monsanto and Syngenta, remain firmly convinced of the safety and value of their products such as GM potato, GM sugarbeet, BT cotton, Starlink maize and Roundup ready soyabean. The promoters of biotechnology believe in revolutionising the agricultural industry by this powerful tool to speed up the production of nutritious food over a short time span and solve the problem of food shortages. Countries led by the United States, Canada, Australia and Argentina are promoters of agro-biotech food production.

The European Union along with developing countries like India, however, is not fully convinced about the necessity of such technology and its safety with respect to food crop production. GM produce – it is yet to be proved that they are more nutritious, safer and cheaper – has been fiercely attacked by environment organisations like Greenpeace as ‘Frankstein Food'. The first and second generation GM crops are considered to be unsafe by many such groups as very little information is available regarding the actual technology involved and the after effects of the interaction between the genetically engineered organisms, consumers and the environment. A large and growing number of scientists are voicing serious concerns over the health and environmental hazards caused by GM foods leading to the irreversible genetic pollution of our natural resources. Reports on the disastrous impacts of allergy causing proteins, production of super weeds, Tryptophan tragedy, leaking of killer micro-organisms/pollens in the environment, are a few instances, which are evoking negative responses from people across different sections of society.