The background of Genetic Modification in Agriculture
The technology of Genetic Modification in agriculture is another way by which multinationals to take threaten people's food sovereignty. It is the greatest threat to agriculture and biodiversity ever posed during mankind's long history on this planet. Through its proven and observed power of contamination this technology can very effectively put an end to the crop biodiversity nurtured by centuries of careful natural adaptation. Living Farms realised this threat very early on and observed its effect on food sovereignty as a whole.
This technology allows a few multinationals to have total control over agriculture thus displacing the farmer.
The Background
The debate on Genetic Engineering is more than two decades old. The first Genetically Modified (GM) crop was the tomato created by a Californian company in the early 1990s. The debate took a definite shape after Dr Arpad Pusztai, then from Rowett Research Institute, Aberdeen went public with his scientific study on the detrimental effects of GM potato on mice. More independent studies regularly highlighted severe health hazards. The recent studies undertaken by the Government of Austria and Italy have demonstrated organic damage and infertility amongst mice fed with GM food. A Russian study has also come out with similar disturbing findings.
GM crop (Bt Cotton) in India
India is not insulated from this controversy. Bt Cotton (a GM crop) has been introduced in this country and, beginning 2002, so far five States (Gujarat, Maharashtra, Punjab, Haryana and Madhya Pradesh) have officially allowed its commercial cultivation. The results have been far from satisfactory if one takes into account the experience of farmers in these States. The yield has been erratic, the crop has failed under adverse circumstances, pest incidence has gone up, new diseases have affected the crop, soil fertility has been affected, cattle and other domestic animals have died after grazing on harvested Bt Cotton fields and those handling the crop have come down with severe allergies. Export of organic cotton has been affected as Bt contamination has been noticed in the produce leading to large scale rejections by importing countries.
The Animal Husbandry Department of the Government of Andhra Pradesh has admitted that the sheep deaths in the Warangal district of Andhra Pradesh are due to the Bt toxin. Doctors of the Jana Swasthya Abhiyan (JSA) in Madhya Pradesh have confirmed that Bt Cotton is behind the allergies witnessed amongst the cotton farmers of the state. Scientists of Chandigarh have studied cattle fed on Bt Cotton fodder and observed symptoms of decrease in milk production, infertility, excessive salivation, bloody dysentery, and even deaths.
Bt Cotton in Orissa
Orissa has been affected as though the crop is illegal the farmers have taken up commercial cultivation in a big way prodded by Bt seed dealers primarily from the neighboring State of Andhra Pradesh. The after effects have started rearing their head. Cotton farmers in Bolangir have complained of drastic fall in yield. The land under the failed cotton crop is not supporting any other crop indicating loss of soil fertility. The farmers also complain on sheep deaths after feeding on Bt Cotton fields. In Rayagada there are pockets where veterinary surgeons are noticing the same symptoms in cattle as reported by the scientists of Chandigarh. In Nuapada cotton farmers have started committing suicide after failure of crop and the resultant inability to repay loans taken from moneylenders. Farm labourers are avoiding working in Bt Cotton fields due to the skin itches and burning in eyes they experience. As the tensile strength of Bt Cotton is less the procurers are paying less than the market rates.
The situation is becoming more critical as, instead of halting the Bt Cotton cultivation despite observed after effects; the government is soon going to allow Bt Brinjal, a favourite food crop in Orissa, which will be the first genetically modified food crop to be cultivated in Asia.
What is Genetic Modification?
Whereas natural breeding takes place between male and females of the same species, Genetic Modification is breaking this barrier by mechanically introducing genes from a completely different and sexually incompatible species. In case of Bt Cotton, the toxin producing gene from the soil bacteria Bacillus Thuringiensis has been inserted into the genetic structure of the cotton plant. The object is to make the entire plant toxic so that the insects feeding on it are killed. However in the process the toxicity of the inserted gene has increased by 1000 times, an unintended side effect, and the effect on the ecology has been severe. Butterflies, bees and bats have disappeared from areas where GM crops are being cultivated leading to fears that the cessation of pollination activities by beneficial insects will put a severe strain on the food supply of the planet. It is very perplexing that animals and birds are avoiding feeding on fields where GM crops are being cultivated.
Not only genes of toxic bacteria, genes from spiders, scorpions, fish, pigs and even humans are being inserted into food crops.
Why is this being done?
The declared intention is to introduce new characteristics that will lead to increase in yield, protect the crop from pest attacks, invoke disease resistance, produce plant based medicines, increase the nutrient content, ensure yield under adverse climatic conditions, making plants resistant to salinity, floods and droughts, countering the looming food crisis and feeding the world's hungry, and so on. In fact the genetic scientists are promising us a whole new world.
Will the promises be met?
But we have heard all this earlier too, right? The Green Revolution and its recommendation for use of war rejected poisonous chemicals as fertilizers and pesticides came with the same set of promises. But this concept of monocultures, hybrid seeds, mechanization, and use of chemical inputs has destroyed agriculture and brought us to the brink of the greatest food crisis ever.
The crops being cultivated so far have not met any of the expectations that are continuing to be advertised to the gullible public. The yields begin to peter off after a period, pest attacks increase leading to increased use of pesticides, the GM crops cannot thrive in adverse circumstances, they contaminate others in the locality transferring the adverse effects to other crops and also destroy traditional varieties in the process resulting in loss of bio diversity, and as a bonus beneficial insects and cattle die, humans too are severely affected.
So why are companies persisting with GM crops?
Why do companies come into existence? Obviously for profits! GM seeds offer an opportunity for hungry companies to patent them and pave the way for a perpetual income based on a regimen of monopoly and persecution. This is exactly what is happening. The entire food chain of the world today is going to be monopolized by a few multinational companies who have the torrid track report of dealing with dangerous chemicals and using money power to influence governments. The fact that GM food causes deaths, disease and infertility open up other more sinister aspects to be pondered upon.
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