In
what is seen as a significant milestone for Indian agriculture,
at the end of March 2002, the Central government allowed commercial
cultivation of the country’s first ever genetically engineered crop
- the controversial Bt cotton - developed by the Maharashtra Hybrid
Seed Company (Mahyco) in collaboration with the US-based life sciences
major, Monsanto. Starting April 1, 2002, Mahyco will be able to
sell Bt Cotton seeds.
The Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC), a multi-disciplinary
body set up under the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF),
approved the commercial release of three out of Mahyco’s four transgenic
hybrid cottons, for which the company had sought approval. The three
hybrids that were cleared for commercial cultivation were Mech-12,
Mech-162 and Mech-184. Hinged on this decision was the fate of one
million farmers dependent on cotton.
The
decision, which came after a four-year wait was taken after the
results of trials conducted by the Indian Council of Agricultural
Research (ICAR), were circulated among GEAC members.
A
decision on the fourth hybrid (Mech-915) was deferred, as the Indian
Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) - which, along with the
Monitoring and Evaluation Committee (MEC) under the Department of
Biotechnology (DBT), had supervised the open field trials of Mahyco’s
transgenics - could not submit its evaluation report in this case.
“Mahyco
can make available its seeds to farmers for the coming three planting
seasons,” A M Gokhale, Chairman, GEAC has said to the press.
Apart from the time frame for which the clearance has been given,
the GEAC has also laid down other conditions for Mahyco to comply
with. The company would have to provide information on the quantity
of seeds produced, names of individual distributors/dealers and
quantities sold along season-wise acreages under each hybrid. Also,
Mahyco will have to monitor and report incidence of any resistance
build-up or second-generation susceptibility of the crop to the
target insect pest (American bollworm), etc. The company will also
have to give annual reports on these aspects for each of the three
years to the GEAC.
The
GEAC has further made it mandatory for farmers accessing Mahyco’s
seeds to plant at least 20 per cent of their field area under non-Bt
cotton hybrids or varieties. Farmers have been instructed to plant
a minimum of five rows along the periphery of their field or 20
per cent of the total area; whichever is higher, under non-Bt cotton
(which is susceptible to the pest). This area would act as a refuge
for the bollworm and will ensure that the Bt cotton does not become
susceptible over time to the pest.
Officials
have however indicated that the onus for maintaining the mandated
‘refuge area’ would lie with the farmer and not with Mahyco as it
is not possible for the company to force the farmer to plant non-Bt
cotton in any specified area. GEAC has suggested that the job of
enforcement should be the concern of the state government, which
may in turn empower the gram panchayat to do the monitoring on its
behalf.
The
21-member GEAC includes officials from MoEF, DBT, ICAR, Council
of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Indian Council of
Medical Research (ICMR) and the Ministries of Health, Agriculture,
Food Processing Industries and External Affairs.
After the decision was announced Sharad Joshi, chairman of the task
force on agriculture and founder of the Shetkari Sangathana and
former chairman of the Task Force on Agriculture, Government of
India (2000-01), had also threatened to launch a civil disobedience
movement if Bt approval wasn’t granted, said to newspersons, “Technology
has been the key to progress and development over centuries. While
every technology including Bt cotton, has its advantages and disadvantages
it is counterproductive to argue for or against any technology per
se without having tried it first.”
