Earl Butz, US Secretary, Agriculture in 1974 said If food can be used as a weapon
we shall be happy to use it Bt Brinjal is part of this strategy
We thank Shri Ramesh, Minister-in-Charge of Environment and Forest, Govt. of India and thank him for providing the opportunity to discuss on genetically modified crops (GMCs), a controversial and avoidable issue which would seriously influence and adversely affect agriculture, farmers, farming systems, environment, biodiversity, food and nutrition security, agricultural policy and food sovereignty of 114 crore consumers in India.
This note on genetically modified crops in general and Bt brinjal and other crops in the food chain in particular, is a major consensus developed from discussions, seminars and workshops with the participation of the policy makers, farmers and their organizations, civil society organizations, agricultural and social scientists, agricultural technologists in this state departments, district and block level meetings, press conference with representatives of media and consumers organizations during the last several years which have immensely helped in generating a broad awareness on the consequences of introduction and cultivation of GM crops in India with particular reference to Orissa. However, the relevant issues that need to be incorporated would further enrich the presentation.
So-called Second Green Revolution and thrust on controversial GM crops in India
India with about 114 crore population, 75% of which are dependent on agriculture for their livelihood, about 85% being small and marginal farmers and millions of landless rural people suffering from food, nutrition and livelihood insecurity. The people below poverty line in rural area have increased to 42% as very recently revealed by the Suresh Tendulkar Committees report to the Planning Commission.
In the programme and policy of the so-called Second Green Revolution which emerged from the agreement of Indo-US Knowledge Initiative in Agriculture signed by the two governments, genetically modified crops in the guise of biotechnology was considered to be of topmost priority of the US Biotech crop developers apart from synthetic agricultural chemical inputs for still more intensive chemical agriculture. Participation of the US based Transnational Corporate (TNCs) eg. Monsanto, Wal-mart and Archer Daniels Midland are in the board of Indo-US Knowledge Initiative in agriculture from the US side was necessary for that purpose. The TNCs have come the major driving force in the
economic system, they decide what food is grown, where and by whom and monopolize by taking the advantage of the most profitable mode of production and exploitation of natural resources thereby further worsening the environment, ultimately limiting food availability and food sovereignty of developing countries like India.
Agriculture in Orissa and relevance of Bt crops
Agriculture has been the way of life in the state where 73% of the total population depends on it for employment and sustenance. Agriculture & Animal Husbandry provided employment directly or indirectly to around 65% of the total work force as per 2001 census. 88% of the total workforce in the state is rural workers while 84% of the farming households have marginal and small land holdings.Brinjal is a very popular crop with 22% of land under vegetable cultivation being allotted to the crop. It is mostly grown with other vegetables.As per information received under Right to Information data Brinjal is grown in 1.30lakh ha with the production of 19.60 lakh tones.
It is mostly the small and marginal farmers who cultivate this crop. As it is not cultivated as a monoculture pest control is not a very arduous task. Many farmers grow organic brinjal who say their income from the crop is increasing. Being a sturdy crop it grows well under stress like droughts, making it popular amongst farmers in the rain fed areas.
For example in Kandhamal district of Orissa a farmer called Bharat Kanhar cultivates brinjal organically all round the year in half an acre of land. He has an average income of 6500/-in each year. Similarly Kumanta Mallik of Kandhamal cultivates brinjal organically in around 1 acre of land. He too earns an average of 11,000/-per year. We have thousands of such farmers in Keonjhar , Kandhamal , Koraput , Cuttack , Ganjam , Mayurbhanj , Malkangiri etc.
Orissa does not Bt Brinjal . As this will contaminate our rich biodiversity of Brinjal .As per the National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources they have collected 300 germplasms of brinjal from Orissa. Participating in a live TV debate on Bt Brinjal on 13th January the Vice Chancellor of Orissa University of Agriculture and Technology, Dr.D.P .Ray said Eastern region of India is the centre of brinjal diversity. He added that we have more than 200 varieties of brinjal and as OUAT we have also developed a few fruit and shoot borer resistant varieties of Brinjal. Bt Brinjal will contaminate our entire brinjal diversity in Orissa..He says Bt brinjal may have some advantages but that is open for debate.
Status of GM crops in the world to-day
First introduced 15 years ago, GM crops are still confined to a handful of countries with highly industrialized, export-oriented agricultural sectors. Nearly 90% of the area planted to GM crops in 2007 was found in just six countries in North & South America, with 80% in the US, Argentina, Brazil and Canada. One country alone, the United Uruguay and States, grows over 50% of the world’s GM crops. Less than 3% of cropland in India and China is planted with GM crops, almost exclusively Bt cotton. In the 27 countries of the European Union, GM crop cultivation represents a mere 0.21% of agricultural land. Being totally disappointed and frustrated due to the stagnation in area expansion of Bt crops, the US multinationals are ruthlessly and aggressively penetrating in the developing countries and weak India has been a primary target.
Beneficiaries of GM crops
Firstly the vast majority of GM crops are not grown by or destined for the world’s poor. They are used for animal feed, biofuels,or highly processed food products in rich countries. Most commercial GM crops are grown by large farmers in a handful of countries (Brazil, Argentina and Canada besides the US) with industrialized, export-oriented agricultural sectors.
Secondly, it is widely accepted that GM crops do not increase yield as they have no specific genes for high intrinsic yield; and in some cases they yield less than conventional crops.
Thirdly, official data from major producer countries -US, Argentina and Brazil confirms that pesticides (both insecticides and herbicides) use increases with GM crops, including the use of toxic chemicals banned in some European countries. This raises costs for farmers and also causes agronomic, environmental, and health problems, mostly affecting poor communities who live near intensive GM farms.
Fourthly, the real beneficiaries of the GM technology are biotech companies which profit from patents exorbitant royalties on expensive GM seeds, and increased seed linked agrichemicals, particularly pesticide sales. Poor farmers in contrast are squeezed by escalating costs, uncertain yield and income.
In no other countries in the world, food crops with toxins, particularly vegetables are being forced on cultivators by a National Govt. It has so far been a technology for income generation of foreign multinational for producing non-food GM crops in mechanized corporate farming.
Why Bt food crops are being introduced
Apart from brinjal, many Bt food crops like cabbage, cauliflower, pigeon pea, tomato and many others are also being considered for the approval of GEAC for commercial cultivation, a technology for producing toxins in the plants by introducing one of more cry genes from Bacillus thruringensis capable to kill fruit and shoot borer in brinjal, which would also be harmful to all animals including human beings, the extent and seriousness of damage may vary. The root exudates of the toxic plants also kill the beneficial microbes in the soil, resulting in serious effects on their capacity to recycle nutrients essential for maintenance of soil fertility.
While educated, economically advanced and health conscious people in developed countries including the USA have rejected GM crops in food chain, Government of India by totally contradicting its own declared policy of food, nutrition and livelihood security, is trying to promote costly Bt crops of uncertain performance and quality while the Indian Council of Agricultural Research(ICAR) and Agricultural Universities in India have already standardized Integrated Pest Management (IPM) by eliminating or reducing pesticide application in all important food crops including brinjal. It is highly deplorable that the government has been ignoring the scientific achievement of the Institutes of eminence in the country to promote Bt crops in cultivation.
Effective control of fruit and shoot borer in brinjal
As per information received under Right To Information from the Orissa University of Agriculture & Technology (OUAT) both Integrated Pest Management (IPM) and Non Pesticidal techniques (NPM) are very effective in controlling pests particularly the fruit and stem borer for which the Bt Brinjal is being projected as the only solution. The figures areas mentioned below;
IPM (Integrated pest management)
|
Year |
Location |
Maximum fruit yield |
Minimum damage |
| Kharif 2002 |
RRTTS, Mahisapat |
129.3 q/ha |
11.1% |
| Kharif 2003 |
Do |
144.9 q/ha |
17.9% |
| Kharif 2004 |
Do |
175.5 q/ha |
NA* |
| Kharif 2005 |
Do |
221.4 q/ha |
NA |
*NA-data not available
NPM (Non Pesticide management)
|
Year |
Location |
Maximum fruit yield |
Minimum damage |
| Kharif 2004 |
Dept of Entomology,
OUAT, Bhubaneswar |
Cost benefit ratio1:
1.81 |
(1.83 +/-1.23%)
Shoot damage
13.07+/-7.54%)
Fruit damage |
| Kharif 2005 |
RRTTS, Mahisapat |
264.6 q/ha |
23.1% |
The Chief Minister and the Agriculture Minister have opposed the introduction of Bt Brinjal as it will adversely affect the small and marginal farmers. Integrated pest management (IPM) even without using chemical pesticides as a last resort is capable of eradicating the fruit and shoot borer and Bt brinjal is not at all necessary. We are aware that apart from specific lepidopteron target insects, susceptible to toxins from cry genes in Bt crops, a number of pests would also damage the crop for which poisonous insecticides of different formulations have to be applied, increasing the cultivation cost and polluting the crop and environment. There are reports that in Bt crops target insects develop resistance and also minor pests may cause major damage. It would be a serious blunder on the part of a national Govt. to compel cultivation and consumption of GM crops in our daily diet, when there are options to control pests without any residual toxicity, loss of biodiversity and ecological balance, at a much lower cost for a remunerative sustainable farming.
Contamination of crop germplasms and loss of biodiversities
Brinjal (Solanum melongena) is undoubtedly of Indian origin and a centre of great diversity with numerous cultivars, many of which are grown commercially throughout the country and consumed as one of the most important vegetables. We have about three and a half thousand brinjal varieties in India. It has medicinal value for diabetic patients. Solanacae family is of great importance as there are number of medicinal and edible vegetable in the family. Contamination of germplasm in the Solanacae family may lead to major and irreversible loss for which the promoters of Bt crops will not take
responsibility.
In Orissa it is not possible for the small and marginal farmers to maintain a minimum isolation distance of 30m on all sides to protect contamination of non-GM brinjal varieties. With fragmentation of holdings in Orissa major germplasm would be totally contaminated by the Bt hybrids within a period of 2 years if released for commercial cultivation. It is an important strategy of GM seed developers to contaminate crop germplasm and compel the farmers to grow Bt hybrids, so that there would not be any going back in the future.
The policy and effort for Bt crop cultivation in Orissa should be discarded by the Government of Orissa on this issue alone for conserving the valuable germplasm without the slightest chance of contamination. Institutions of eminence like national and international Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources and the existing boards of biodiversity would be declared redundant in India to accommodate the business interest of GM crop developers, the TNCs.
Health issues and right to food
Many reports published in peer-reviewed international journals so far on the effect of GMCs on the physiology and nutrition of experimental animals would indicate the possibility of unprecedented health hazard among the people also. Bt brinjal would contain 16-17mg of Bt toxin per kg of fruit and taking almost daily by consumers is bound to have long term consequences in humans; as such long term health studies on humans must be carried out before opting for Bt brinjal, not just a hastily carried out biased study for a trimester (not even average the life span) with labrats. Allergenicity of livestock and human beings has already been confirmed in Bt cotton and rigorous tests need to be carried out for a food crop like brinjal before releasing for cultivation.
Consumers should have the right to informed choice and right to safe food. Labeling is a must and in a country like India where vegetables and fruits are sold in the open market, unpacked, labeling is not the only solution!! It is violating the rights of the consumer.
Violation of biosafety measures and absence of regulatory framework
Despite the Government of Orissa not allowing Bt Cotton cultivation in Orissa the seeds were readily available and almost 70% of the land under cotton in Orissa is devoted to Bt Cotton. The farmers did not know the significance of the crop and took to it believing that it was an improved hybrid. Many of them have suffered losses due to low yields.
There are also reports that soil fertility has been affected. In the Bt Cotton areas the veterinary surgeons are worried about cattle deaths. They have conveyed their apprehensions to the Dean, Orissa Veterinary College. But the Government claims that there have been no such deaths. Bt Cotton has created such an atmosphere that the politicians and policy makers do not even discuss the subject. It is as if not discussing the subject would make it go away.
Data on Bt Cotton in Orissa is impossible to get because official records do not acknowledge the illegal cultivation of the crop. There seems to be no effort to know how the crop has affected the environment, the soil and humans and animals that have come in contact.
The lack of transparency of DBT and GEAC in critically evaluating Bt. Cotton before releasing it for trial as well as commercial cultivation had been raised by the task force of the planning commission. The situation has not changed as yet. In most states in India the State Biotechnology Coordination Committee and District Level Committees do not exist to monitor cultivation and evaluation of GM crops as per provisions in the environment Protection Act of the Government of India.
Observations of Dr. Pushpa M. Bhargava, the founder of the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, in Hyderabad, the Supreme Court appointee to the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC), India’s apex regulatory body for GM crops on the approval of Bt brinjal by GEAC for cultivation.
While stating his objections to the approval, Dr. Bhargava said the typical attitude amongst the regulators was “Whatever Monsanto says is God’s own word but if anybody… no matter who it is … says you must do more tests, the man is a fool”.
He described the Expert Committee’s report itself as “a disaster” -full of mistakes and internal inconsistencies between what was in the report and primary data. Dr. Bhargava even expressed the suspicion that the Expert Committee’s report, reviewing MahycoMonsanto’s earlier report, may have been pre-written by Monsanto. He also said that there were internal inconsistencies between what was in the report and what primary data was put on the website and there were absurdities in the report.
A report on global changes in farming system and livelihood of farmers by IAASTD
The report of UN sponsored International Assessment of Agricultural Science and Technology for Development (IAASTD) released on 15 April 2008 took the world by surprise, and called for a fundamental change to reduce hunger and poverty, improve rural livelihoods, and facilitate equitable environmentally, socially and economically sustainable development. The initiative for IAASTD came from the World Bank in partnership with international organizations that included the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization. United Nations Environment Programme, United Nations Development Programme, the World Health Organization and representatives of governments, civil society, private sector and scientific institutions worldwide. In short, the IAASTD was a major undertaking by mainstream institutions. Even more remarkable, 60 countries have already signed up to the report including India.
IAASTD clearly states that genetically modified (GM) crops are highly controversial and will not play any role in addressing climate change, loss of biodiversity, hunger and poverty. Instead, small scale organic farms are the way forward to achieve sustainability in agriculture, food, nutrition and livelihood. This is especially true for developing countries like India overwhelming dominated by resource-poor small and marginal farmers.
Ecologically Sustainable Organic Farming
In India about 9 lakh hectares have been converted as certified organic farms up to March, 2009 and the area is being extended by about 50% annually. The programme of organic farming in the country is being organized and monitor by National Organic Board and National Programme for Organic Production under the Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India. Uncertified organic cultivation is in practice in more than 3 times the area under present certified organic production. In organic farms use of synthetic agro-chemicals and also GM crops are totally prohibited. In India states like Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Karnataka have declared organic policy apart from Uttaranchal, Sikkim, and the north-eastern states already practicing exclusively organic farming.
Organic farming has been shown to considerably mitigate global warming through reduction of green house gases, saves fossil fuel energy, increases soil organic matter, stimulates microbial growth so essential for maintenance of soil fertility and according to IAASTD the most desirable alternative to conventional farming including GM crop cultivation. So far as the small and marginal farmers are concerned only crop livestock integrated biodiversity based holistic organic farming would be able to ensure food and nutritional security.
Ban of Commercial Cultivation of GM crops
The Orissa Government has not officially allowed the cultivation of any GM crops but the Bt Cotton fiasco should force it to take a more proactive stand on the matter. If Bt Brinjal is approved by the Government of India the seeds will certainly reach the seed dealers of the State. Thus the citizen of Orissa have requested the Chief Minister to talk to Jairam Ramesh and persuade him not to approve Bt Brinjal at the national level. The State Government must also go beyond rhetoric and draft legislation with penal provisions to stop the illegal entry of Bt seeds.
As agriculture is constitutionally a State subject, the State has the constitutional right and competence to implement such a ban. Accordingly besides Orissa , the states like Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Chattisgarh, have banned Bt brinjal cultivation.
Farmers’ concern
In Orissa there exist traditional varieties of brinjal typical to each district. They are relished by the local population. The brinjal is used by local vaidyas as home medicine. Besides concern over the contamination aspect which is sure to happen, there is also concern about the medicinal properties. The fears are genuine as the Seralini Report says that the alkaloid content as well as the calorific value has changed in the modified brinjal.
We are not against science, but we are against the trading of science for the benefit of the MNCs. It needs rigorous, transparent trial and public debate rather than a hasty and undemocratic decision as this is a matter of serious concern to our overwhelmingly large number of small and marginal farmers, many below the poverty line and 114 crores consumers one third of whom go to bed with hungry stomachs.
In conclusion, we urge upon all individuals and agencies engaged in agriculture rural development work and concerned with the plight of millions of our predominantly marginal and small farmers to take all democratic steps to preempt and oppose boldly the creation of further problems in their livelihood security through introduction of totally undesirable genetically modified crops in commercial cultivation and allow gradual corporatisation of our agriculture and food sectors.
# # #
About AHRC: The Asian Human Rights Commission is a regional non-governmental organisation monitoring and lobbying human rights issues in Asia. The Hong Kong-based group was founded in 1984. The above statement has only been forwarded by the AHRC.
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