60-70%
Additional produce need by 2050
Overview of the agriculture and farming sector, focusing on the challenges faced
We are staring in the face of a food crisis
Sowing the Seeds of Prosperity
Approving genetically modified crops in India
On 17 February 2022, farmers in Ahmednagar, Maharashtra chose to go against the law and plant Bt Brinjal, a genetically modified (GM) variant of the crop.
Anil Ghanwat, leader of the Swatantra Bharat Party and ex-president of the Shetkari Sanghatan, explaining the rationale behind the protest in Ahmednagar on 17 February 2022
By 2050, the world will need to produce 60-70% more food than what it is already producing to feed an anticipated population of 9.3 billion people.
Current Production
With India’s population set to reach 1.7 billion by 2050, its annual domestic food production must increase to 333 million tonnes against the current level of 252 million tonnes.
Current production
252 miltonnes
Production needed
333 miltonnes
GM in India and overview of the challenges faced for approval
GM crops, with their ability to cut pesticide usage, boost yield, provide greater nutrition, and decrease overall burden on environment are the way ahead.
In India, Bt Cotton is the only GM crop to be approved for commercial release. Since its approval in 2002, no other crop has been able to survive the unending barrage of regulatory challenges.
At the core of this, is Aruna Rodrigues and Others v. Union of India and Others where the petitioner pushed for a complete ban on introducing GM in India, without raising their complaints to the appellate authority for GM-related issues.
Why the Supreme Court entertained this petition is not clear, but in 2012, a Technical Expert Committee appointed by the Court for this matter called for a 10-year moratorium on field trials for GM crops in its interim report. It was only in late 2021 that field trials for two varieties of Bt Brinjal were allowed again.
Negative public perception of GM crops shadow any effort to build a pathway towards commercial use despite extensive studies that prove that GM crops-
- Are safe to eat
- Result in higher yields through less crop damage
- Are less environmentally harmful than their non-GM counterparts
- Boost farmer incomes by cutting costs
Mahendra Sajan Patil says he frequently advises farmers to plant GM crops if they are able to find GM seeds in the market because that is the only way to secure their future. He also adds that until there is advancement in agriculture technology, farmers will face the brunt of the crisis. His statement demonstrates the fear amongst agriculturalists and farmers regarding being able to sustain their practices.
Navnath Sopan Jadhav from Maharashtra says that today they have planted Bt Brinjal and tomorrow it will be another GM crop, let the government put them in jail for this protest. He explains that an ordinary crop planted in India and its GM equivalent planted in an international country have a difference in yield with the GM crop giving 5 times the yield of the ordinary crop. He questions why the government allows the import of GM soybean if it is considered harmful. His statement shows the growing stamina of the GM crop movement amongst farmers, who are ready to face legal retaliation in their journey to obtain approval for GM seeds.
regulatory setup that applicants must go through for approval to use GM seeds
Applicants need to move through a four-step process to obtain approval for commercial use of GM crops
Laboratory
Applicant carries out multiple safety assessments such as food, feed, and environmental safety experiments in the lab and open field containments. This serves as primary data that is reviewed for granting multi-location and large-scale field trials to assess the biosafety of the crop.
Field Trials
After the primary data is reviewed by the respective authorities, field trials are conducted by the applicant in two stages: the Biosafety Research Level (BRL) trial I and II.
Environmental Release
Upon review of the field trial data, Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) accords approval for environmental release following agronomic and biosafety assessments in consultation with Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), Review Committee on Genetic Manipulation (RCGM) and other committees.
Commercialization
Commercial release is then granted by the GEAC only if the crop is found to be safe for both humans and the environment.
Bt Cotton is the only GM crop that has been commercially released in India. It was only in September 2021 that field trials for two varieties of Bt Brinjal were allowed to begin after a ten-year long moratorium.
the interest groups and their standing on the issues of GM seeds use in India
Several interest groups affect the process of receiving regulatory approval for GM crops
Authors
Dr Prashant Narang
Dr Prashant Narang heads the Research team at Centre for Civil Society (CCS). His most significant contributions at CCS include ease of doing business reforms recommendations and the Street Vendor Compliance Index. Having written journal papers on the legal sector reforms and the Right to Education Act, his current interest areas are the rule of law, institutions, and the constitutional right to carry on business and trade in India.
Tarini Sudhakar
Tarini Sudhakar is a Senior Associate and works on education, environment, and agriculture at Centre for Civil Society. She will be pursuing her Masters in Economics this fall and is keen to explore the intersection of law and economics. She studied History from Lady Shri Ram College for Women, University of Delhi.
Manickam Valliappan
Manickam Valliappan is a final year undergraduate studying Economics and Politics at the University of London. He is an aspiring policy researcher with interests in political economy and international trade and finance. His work has also been published in media outlets such as The Hindu, Financial Express, and The Daily Guardian.