GENETICALLY MODIFIED CROPS IN INDIA: A SOLUTION TO FOOD

INSECURITY IN INDIA

The current status of GM crops in India:

In India, there are various controversies and challenges arouse by the genetically modified
crops. Professor Gieryn famously came up with the term “Boundary work” . He related with this
term with the challenges faced by the GM crops in the industry. According to him, boundary
work refers to an on-going competition that aims credibility and trustworthiness among the
claims makers with opposing points of view. Analysis and dissertation of GM crops needs
exclusive lines as boundaries drawn by various actors like policy makers, technocrats, NGO’s,
scientists, industrialists, and farmers1.

 Bt cotton, a genetically engineered cotton that was produced for commercial cultivation
with increased insect resistance in India, in the year 2002. This was approved by the
GEAC and the Indian government. This approval resulted in the India becoming a 2 nd
largest producer of Bt cotton and was a leading exporter in the world.
 Bt brinjal, was recommended for commercialization by the GEAC in the year 2009. But
following the even there were several issues and concerns raised by the farmers, anti-GM
activists and scientists. Later in the year 2010, moratorium to approve this crop was
announced.
 GM- Mustard, Dhara Mustard Hybrid or DMH-11. This crop is a genetically modified
variety of mustard. Its main characteristic is herbicide tolerant (HT). This genetically
modified crop didn’t pass up for approval.

The parliamentary standing committee prepared a report on 2012 named “cultivation of

genetically modified crop- Prospects and Effects”. In adherence to this report on agriculture in
Lok Sabha after discussing various issues over the potential treats that GM holds towards
agriculture, it was stated that, “the genetically modified crops are not the right solution for our
country.” This committee has also held up a vociferous argument stating that, the government

1
YAMAGUCHI, TOMIKO. “Controversy over Genetically Modified Crops in India: Discursive Strategies and
Social Identities of Farmers.” Discourse Studies, vol. 9, no. 1, 2007, pp. 87–107. JSTOR,
www.jstor.org/stable/24049001. Accessed 9 June 2021.
should not play any role in promoting the path of agro biotechnology. It was also added that, Bt
cotton did not contribute in improvising the socio economic condition of the farmers who yields
cotton also it led to deterioration of the rain fed areas even after the consultation acquired from
many stakeholders around the country. There are not just three varieties of GM crops, but there
were for many crops like maize, soybean, corn, etc across the world.

There exist different regulations around the world, and 172 countries including India have signed
the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, that is an international agreement which aims at ensuring
the safe handle, transfer, transport and the usage of the living modified organisms, that in the end
said to be as a biotechnology.

India’s economy is largely based on agriculture sector, which involves 70% of the working
population dependant on it for both employment and subsistence. Irrespective of the achievement
attained in the agricultural sector, the status of the farmers is very poor and low. It is important
to take decisions by the government only after receiving proper evidence with respect to the
positive of negative growth of Bt cotton contribution in the sector. Only after this analysis, the
government has to initiate in implementing new governmental policies that does not compromise
in the safety level. Any compromise or irregular check policies have higher potential to
jeopardise the whole biodiversity not just the human beings.

The topic in table that still hasn’t left out of table is, Bt brinjal and along with the process of
development, its potential benefits and threats adhering to it. Although, it is yet to be decided, in
2014, the GEAC has agreed to limited experiments with respect to the field trials for the GM
crops like rice, mustard, cotton and chickpea with the only propose of generating the biosafety
data on the record. In 2017, the GEAC recommended the commercialization of the GM mustard,
but the decision has not been finalised yet. Even though in 2015- 2017, the government aided
and supported towards forwarding the course and approved for field trials for certain GM crops
but not the entire concept of agriculture biotechnology is embraced upon. In accordance with the
economic survey in 2015-2016, it emphasised on the need to higher up the standard for testing
and the safety concerns so that all the certain crops can be moved forward for approving
discussion in short span of time. It also added that the regulatory process and the safety measures
needed an upgrade. It should not be forgotten that the population is increasing rapidly and there
is in dire need to improvise the agriculture sector with respect to production and quality.
Therefore, India with proper standard for regulatory system and safety guidelines should
incorporate the moving forward way of agriculture biotechnology so that it can break through
certain barriers or obstacles such as insects, pests, drought, harsh environments, etc. There has
been great growth in cotton production including the peaking of socio-economic conditions of
the cotton growing farmers in different states of the country benefited tremendously. In the year
2014, approximately almost 40 million bales of cotton was produced and India become the
world’s leading producer of cotton, exactly after 13 years of deregulation and commercial release
of the Bt cotton in India.

With the help of the rapid advancement in the field of biotechnology, various GM crops has been
produced by inculcating many different novel traits that help increasing the productivity,
tolerant to pests and weeds, helps in decreasing eth obstacle towards the food insecurity in India.
In India, there are various biotech institutes, and several GM crops are at various levels in the
process of development since the last two decade. The ICAR scientists work under the
networking project by researching, monitoring of the field trials including the evaluation of the
regulatory mechanism of the GM crops. In India, more than 20 crops are tested at various level
of development for genetic manipulation, such as cotton rice, wheat, Maize, Brinjal, Potato,
sorghum, Mustard, Groundnut, cauliflower, okra, chickpea, pigeon pea, castor, sugarcane etc,
especially for the novel traits of resistance and tolerance. Although, certain are approved a many
are not, increasing the cultivation of the GM crops has resulted in raising a pile of issues related
to food safety, environmental effects, socio-economic and ethical issues. The major perspective
is from food and health related to the level of toxicity and the high chance of allergens in the GM
foods and products. And in the perspective of the environment risks it is related to the impact of
introgression of the transgenes into the natural landscape, impact of gene flow, effect on non-
target organisms, evolution of pest resistance and loss of biodiversity.

Therefore, the system should utilise the wide advantages of the GM crops by eliminations its
negative impacts through indulging the crops and products into several test and trials and finally
for standard approval. And India is dire need of this technology, with proper enforcement and
standard products India can achieve its food security target.