Serious concerns over Bt brinjal (No evidence that GM brinjal will help farmers)

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 Serious concerns over Bt brinjal (No evidence that GM brinjal will help farmers)

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• Illegal GM grown by farmers : In May 2019, the govt. found that Haryana farmers were illegally growing genetically modified Bt Brinjal. And this was a different one from that developed by Mahyco-Monsanto, which is under moratorium since 2010.
• Clampdown and new demands : As the govt. stopped farmers from growing it, they are now asking for the 2010 variety to be released for growing, and also other GM crops (in the pipeline).   [ CONCEPT - GENETICALLY MODIFIED (G.M.) CROPS ]
• The various impacts :

1. There is till date no solid proof from the MoEFCC that Bt brinjal will help farmers.
2. The NIAEPR (National Institute of Agricultural Economics and Policy Research) thinks Bt brinjal output will be quite high, and prices will then fall. Consumers will benefit, not farmers. And if seeds are at a premium, farmers may not earn much at all.
3. Biosafety is hugely debated. Some found it safe (Deepak Pental, DU), while many did not. Ecologist Madhav Gadgil even warned of India's diverse brinjal varieties being contaminated by it. The govt. also doesn't want any GM crop in biodiversity-rich regions.
4. The expert committee appointed by the S.C. wanted a ban on genetically modifying those crops for which India is a centre of origin or diversity. Brinjal is one!

• Nutrition issues : Some scientists feel it poses many risks to human health, and long-term, independent toxicity studies are a must.
• States not interested : Largest brinjal growing states like W Bengal, Odisha and Bihar opposed Bt brinjal. Many other states opposed too. In 2012 and 2017, different Parliamentary Standing Committees found lapses in regulatory system that allowed GM brinjal. They recommended mandatory labelling (to inform consumers) but in a large nation like India with lot of unorganised retailing, it is nearly impossible to regulate.
• Summary : 

1. Bt brinjal is presently banned as many lapses were found in regulatory system (MoEFCC and the GEAC). In Bt cotton, the pests are developing resistance, leading to pesticide use by farmers. 
2. To dream that GM crops will end pesticide use is wrong, as farmers don't plant refuge crops (due to lack of land).  
3. Farmers in Haryana cannot decide the fate of the entire nation, especially when they have no scientific expertise.
4. We see the rise of organic and zero budget natural farming now (Andhra Pradesh). Do we need GM crops at all? 
5. Let the govt. explain what all was done since 2010 on various fronts.  [ An advice : Check out 2019 Prelims Paper II solution ]

• Summary  : Haryana farmers are illegally growing Bt brinjal, endangering the entire biodiversity of the region, and governments must now take a proactive approach to manage the GM crops issue.
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