The scientist community has come together to pitch for Genetically Modified (GM) mustard. The National Academy of Agricultural Sciences (NAAS), an agriculture think tank of 650 scientists, have urged the Centre to allow commercial use of Dhara Mustard Hybrid-11 (DMH-11), a GM mustard variety, from this year. last month, the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC), the regulator under the Environment Ministry, had approved Mustard DMH-11, developed by a team of scientists at Delhi University led by former Vice-Chancellor Deepak Pental.
The NAAS has made representation to the PMO and also adopted a resolution supporting commercialisation of GM mustard.
In a resolution passed at its annual general meeting, the NAAS said the GM mustard hybrid DMH-11, which GEAC recommended for commercial use, has “fully met the regulatory, bio-safety and performance requirements”. The resolution went on to add that benefit of GM mustard should not be denied to farmers.
Asking the country to have faith in its scientific and regulatory agencies, the resolution said, “We have apprised ourselves of all conducted studies and unequivocally State that this technology is as safe as non-GE (genetically engineered) mustard. India’s multi-tiered regulatory system is one of the most robust… in the world.”
The NAAS said it was deeply concerned about unscientific and ill-motivated attacks on the use of GM mustard .
“GM mustard will help improve farmers’ incomes and reduce dependence on imports of cooking oil. The resolution urged the Government to actively support agricultural scientists to pursue frontier sciences,” said NAAS, adding, delays in decision making will only dishearten and de-motivate the scientific community.
“The Central and State Governments should immediately endorse the recommendations of GEAC so that the coming growing season can be fully utilised for the multiplication of parental and production of hybrid seed,” reads the resolution.
Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) Director General Trilochan Mohapatra as well as former NAAS president RB Singh were among those present at the event.
“Biotech product must not be denied to the farmers, who should have options to make informed choices, and empowered to become globally competitive in the fast changing world. We have apprised ourselves of all conducted studies and unequivocally state that it is as safe as the non-GE mustard and this technology will help farmers and the country in improving its edible oils economy,” the resolution say.
Bt Cotton is the only GM crop allowed in the country for commercial cultivation. There is moratorium on Bt Brinjal.
The Centre is looking to garner support from the States in pushing genetically modified food crops to revive the agriculture sector using GMIJmustard as a test case. Around half the Indian states have refused to give no-objection certificates for conducting field trials of genetically modified (GM) seeds - a must before getting final approval for commercial use.
NITI Aayog had in December 2015 come out with a paper supporting GM crop technology, saying GM seeds have emerged as a “powerful new technology promising high productivity and lower use of fertilizers, weedicides and pesticides in the last one to two decades”.