Richard J. Roberts Backed GM Crops for India and Developing World

Syllabus: GS3/Biotechnology

Context

• Richard J. Roberts, the 1993 Nobel laureate in Medicine, dismissed the idea that Indians adopting genetically modified crops would become dependent on foreign companies.

Introduction of GM Crops in India

• In 2002, the government approved the commercial cultivation of Bt cotton. 
  • The first Bt hybrids incorporating the cry1Ac gene were approved to resist the bollworm complex. 
  • By 2006, GEAC had approved Bollgard II, a second-generation hybrid with two stacked genes. 
  • Till now, it is the only Genetically Modified (GM) crop that is allowed in India.
• In 2010, the Government imposed an indefinite prohibition on Bt brinjal, a genetically-modified variant of the vegetable.
  • This was after years of debate on its safety, the financial impact on farmers, and the implications of foreign ownership of the genetic modification technology. 
• In 2024, the Supreme Court delivered a split verdict on GM mustard’s environmental release, but unanimously asked the Centre to frame a national policy on GM crops. 

What are GM crops?

• Crops that have undergone genetic engineering processes to alter their DNA are referred to as genetically modified crops.
  • Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR) is a gene-editing tool in which a guide RNA steers the Cas9 enzyme to a chosen spot in an organism’s DNA, where it cuts, letting scientists alter or insert genes at that site.
• This alteration is done to introduce desirable traits such as resistance to pests or herbicides, improved nutritional content, or increased yield.
• The process of creating GM crops typically involves: identification of desired traits, isolation of genes, insertion into crop genome, and expression of the trait.
• The techniques used in GM crops are: gene guns, electroporation, microinjection, agrobacterium etc.
• The types of modification are: transgenic, cis-genic, subgenic and multiple trait integration.

Regulatory Framework

• Under India’s regulatory framework, environmental release of GM crops requires clearance from the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) under the Environment (Protection) Act framework and the 1989 rules governing genetically engineered organisms. 
• Acts and rules that regulate GM crops in India are:
  • Environment Protection Act, 1986 (EPA),
  • Biological Diversity Act, 2002,
  • Plant Quarantine Order, 2003,
  • GM policy under Foreign Trade Policy,
  • Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006,
  • Drugs and Cosmetics Rule (8th Amendment), 1988.

Concerns

• Biodiversity Risks: GM crops can affect non-target organisms, promote monocultures, and cause gene flow to native crop varieties, threatening biodiversity.
• Public Health concerns: Antibiotic resistance markers in GM crops may reduce the efficacy of real antibiotics in humans, raising the risk of antibiotic-resistant superbugs.
• Impact on farmers: High seed costs, dependence on proprietary technology and limited availability of alternative seeds may increase farmers’ dependence on private companies.
• Corporate control over agriculture: Patents and intellectual property rights over GM technology may concentrate control over seeds and agricultural inputs in a few companies.
• Legal Inconsistencies: The lack of transparency in issuing No Objection Certificates (NOCs) for field trials has been questioned by civil society groups.
  • They argue that public consultation, independent review, and parliamentary oversight are missing.
• Trade and consumer choice: Differences in GM food regulations across countries may complicate agricultural exports, while inadequate labelling and traceability can limit consumers’ ability to make informed choices.

Way Ahead

• Strengthen Scientific Transparency: Ensure independent, peer-reviewed assessments of GM crop safety and efficacy. Publish trial data in the public domain to build trust and credibility.
• Promote Public Engagement: Conduct open consultations with farmers, scientists, and civil society to address concerns.
• Protect native crop varieties through buffer zones and containment strategies.
• Empower biosafety and ethics committees with greater independence and accountability.

Source: TH