Sunday, June 6, 2010
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Pawar bats for GM crops to meet food security
Wed, Feb 17 06:25 PM
New Delhi, Feb 17 (IANS) Strongly arguing for the genetically modified crops, which he said could solve the country's food security problem, Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar Wednesday asked scientists to double efforts to remove all misgivings about GM crops from the minds of policy-makers and the public.
'We have to improve our productivity in a situation when the population doubles and there is no possibility of additional land and water,' Pawar said.
He, however, said the final decision on this issue could only be taken by the environment ministry.
Inaugurating the two-day conference of vice-chancellors of agricultural universities and meeting of directors of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) here, Pawar said: 'The recent decision on Bt Brinjal should not be seen as a setback to our efforts, but a challenge which we need to surmount.'
In a strongest possible defence of genetically modified crops, Pawar took a position diametrically opposite to Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh, who put a moratorium on commercial release of Bt Brinjal pending more tests.
'Conventional technologies of agriculture are inadequate to meet the formidable challenges. The most compelling case for bio-technology, and more specifically transgenic crops, is their capability to increase crop productivity, lower production costs, conserve bio-diversity, efficient use of external inputs, and improvement of economic and social benefits and alleviation of abject poverty in poor and developing countries,' the minister said.
Later, talking to reporters the minister said genetically modified crops could solve the country's food security problem. However, he said, 'We will respect the decision taken by the environment ministry, which can give us the ultimate guidance.'
He said he wanted to 'resolve the issue of food security of the country.'
http://in.news.yahoo.com/43/20100217/836/tbs-pawar-bats-for-gm-crops-to-meet-food.html
Friday, February 12, 2010
India Govt. puts Bt.Brinjal in deep freeze.
Citing a lack of scientific consensus and the absence of any “over-riding urgency”, the government today put an indefinite “moratorium” on the introduction of a genetically-modified brinjal developed after ten years of research, which was cleared by India’s apex technical committee three months ago.
Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh, who took the decision, questioned the logic of letting private companies drive biotechnology research in agriculture. The brinjal in question has been developed by Mahyco — a private firm in which global seed major Monsanto holds a 26% stake — in collaboration with two Indian agricultural universities.
“We cannot depend on private sector to drive the biotechnology research in our agriculture sector. I think research in seeds is as strategic as space or nuclear research. I am therefore a firm believer in the strong involvement of public sector research in agriculture sector,” Ramesh told reporters.
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/govt-overrules-own-experts-puts-bt-brinjal-in-deep-freeze/577952/
http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/jairam-puts-bt-brinjalhold/385219/
http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_no-bt-brinjal-on-your-plates-for-now-govt_1345752
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/Govt-overrules-own-experts--puts-Bt-brinjal-in-deep-freeze/577715/