To some extent, the news that genetically modified cotton or Bt Cotton is not the panacea that was promised to Indian farmers is of course no news at all. Monsanto has near monopoly over the sterile seeds and its cultivation has, not unexpectedly, led to the obliteration of a wide variety of cotton crops. What has been in the news, thanks to P. Sainath and others, is the horror of tens of thousands of farmers who unable to recoup their investment in capital intensive agricultural inputs and technologies, have committed suicides, usually by ingesting the very pesticides that were meant for the Bt cotton crops.
Now comes the news even the farmers who were supposedly thriving after taking advantage of the new pest resistant seeds and inputs supplied by the biotech companies such as Monsanto, now have their crops infested by the very pests they were supposedly immune to. Yet another entirely predictable and indeed predicted major crisis is unfolding in Telangana.
According to recent report in _The Hindu_:
Meanwhile, although so far the pressure to introduce genetically modified brinjals or eggplants have been resisted, one should not be complacent about the range of forces allied with the biotech corporations that seek to provide chimerical "solutions" to India's food security. In this important and revealing interview with Basudeb Acharia, Chair of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Agriculture, the imminent dangers of relying on genetically modified crops and intense pressures that are currently being brought to bear upon the government of India are highlighted:
genetically modified crops no panacea for food security
Despite the ongoing crisis and the tragedy of continuing suicides of farmers, it is likely that with the expected exceptions such as The Hindu, Frontline and Outlook, the Indian media will continue to be pre-occupied with the tantrums of celebrities ranging from Bollywood stars to Anna Hazare.
Now comes the news even the farmers who were supposedly thriving after taking advantage of the new pest resistant seeds and inputs supplied by the biotech companies such as Monsanto, now have their crops infested by the very pests they were supposedly immune to. Yet another entirely predictable and indeed predicted major crisis is unfolding in Telangana.
According to recent report in _The Hindu_:
"Cotton farmers across Telangana are in for rude a shock with Bt cotton being attacked by bollworm, Helicoverpa armigera, the very pest that it is supposed to resist and repel, in large areas of Warangal and neighbouring districts."
Meanwhile, although so far the pressure to introduce genetically modified brinjals or eggplants have been resisted, one should not be complacent about the range of forces allied with the biotech corporations that seek to provide chimerical "solutions" to India's food security. In this important and revealing interview with Basudeb Acharia, Chair of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Agriculture, the imminent dangers of relying on genetically modified crops and intense pressures that are currently being brought to bear upon the government of India are highlighted:
genetically modified crops no panacea for food security
Despite the ongoing crisis and the tragedy of continuing suicides of farmers, it is likely that with the expected exceptions such as The Hindu, Frontline and Outlook, the Indian media will continue to be pre-occupied with the tantrums of celebrities ranging from Bollywood stars to Anna Hazare.
No comments:
Post a Comment