Free essays-Biotechnology-Revolutionising Agriculture Through Biotechnology

Revolutionising Agriculture Through Biotechnology

            Biotechnology holds the promise to double food production, ensure adequate nutrition and rid small farmers from poverty. Biotech applications are already yielding health benefits by releasing what are considered life saving and life enhancing drugs. India is slowly emerging as one of the world leaders in this area.

            The Task Force on Applications of Biotechnology in Agriculture headed by Dr M.S.Swaminathan presented its report to the Union Minister of Agriculture, Shri Sharad Pawar, the other day after a year’s labour. It covers the entire gamut of biotech research and activities. While stressing the enormous benefits that could be drawn from biotechnology, the report also emphasises on how to ensure the safety of people and India’s environment and biodiversity.

            The report says: “The bottomline of our national agricultural biotechnology policy should be the economic well-being of farm families, food and health security of the nation, health security of the consumer, protection of the environment and security of our national and international trade in farm commodities”. This is a pithy summing up of India’s concerns which scientists, technocrats, policy makers and administrators are expected to keep in view in the diverse applications of biotechnology.

            On the basis of a preliminary assessment of the funds needed to implement its recommendations, the Task Force says that Rs 1200 crore of additional funds would be needed for the application of biotechnology. Of this the Agriculture Department should provide Rs 300 crore to develop capacity building and human resources to set up organic farming zones and agro-biodiversity sanctuaries, initiating a special insurance scheme and setting up agri-clinics and agri-business centres. About Rs 200 crore may be provided in the remaining three years of the Tenth Five Year Plan as venture capital. A National Biotechnology Regulatory Authority may be set up at a cost of Rs 150 crore. Since agriculture is a State subject, regulatory advisory boards should be set up in the States. In addition, Animal Husbandry and Biotechnology Departments and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) may provide Rs 400 crore to upgrade research infrastructure and undertake human resource development.

            Field trials of cash crops like cotton and mustard have thrown up prospects of disease-free and pest-free crops, apart from greater yields to make the seeds of these crops cost-effective. The task force has stressed that certain exotic crops like basmati rice, Darjeeling tea and soyabeen need not be tampered with in view of their special significance.

            Genetic modifications of cattle could improve milk yields enormously even as India is already the world’s largest milk producer. Yet the need to preserve some resilient and centuries-old Indian breeds of cow have time and again been recognized by veterinary scientists. Research and experiments have brought out vaccines which could open the door to unrestricted growth of unhealthy cattle, although the ramifications of this work hold the prospect for similar research on human birth control devices, even if they are far from development and use at this point of time.

            Biotech applications could promote rapid multiplication of river and sea fish or seafood to help improve nutrition or provide the desired diet for the non-vegetarians. The Task Force lays down the framework for a long-term biotechnology policy and says that it should provide direction to research and development based on social, economic, ecological, ethical and gender equity issues. The policy should devise a system for commercialization of transgenics and genetically modified (GM) products, beside clear formulations on GM food and feed in the country. “The transgenic approach should be considered as complimentary and resorted to when other options to achieve the desired objectives are either not available or not feasible. High priority should be accorded in the transgenic approach to the incorporation of resistance to insects and pests and diseases, including viruses and to drought and salinity.Transgenic research should not be undertaken in crops and commodities where our international trade may be affected, for example, basmati rice, soyabean or Darjeeling tea”. At the same time, the report points out: “Biotech applications, which do not involve transgenics such as biopesticides, biofertilizers and bio-remediation agents, should be accorded high priority . This will help enforce productivity in organic farming areas”.

            The report suggests that the regions in India which represent either primary or secondary centres of genetic diversity in major crops like rice should be conserved for posterity as agro biodiversity sanctuaries and a technical committee should identify and earmark them.

            The task force regrets that at present biotech research is conducted in a project mode. To achieve the goals of developing commercial products, a mission mode approach should be followed. Programmes of five year duration and involving multi-disciplinary partners should be considered and adequately funded and monitored. The Task Force suggests that food safety standards should be put in place. The Ministry of Science and Technology besides the Indian Council of Medical Research should take the lead in laying down codes and standards in the area of genetically modified foods. It calls for a mechanism to facilitate segregation, identify preservation and certification and labelling of GM and non-GM products. As the Government has declared 2004 as the Year of Scientific Awareness, a quality literacy movement should be launched among farmers by the concerned departments. They should have complete information on the benefits and risks associated with the genetically modified crops to ensure assessment by the farmers themselves. It calls for registration of varieties of seeds sold to farmers and this should be made mandatory. “The illegal proliferation of GM varieties, as is happening in some States, must cease or else bio safety regulations will be rendered meaningless”, it says.

            Agriculture comprising crop and animal husbandry, fisheries, agro-forestry and agro-processing are the backbone of India’s national food security and rural livelihood security systems. There are about 110 million operational holdings in the country. The smaller the farm, the greater is the need for higher productivity and marketable surplus to enable a family have some cash income. The human population being predominantly young, the youth can be attracted and retained in farming only if it is intellectually satisfying and rewarding. But that could happen only through technology upgrading. Biotechnology provides an opportunity to convert bio resources into economic wealth. There are a myriad applications of biotechnology in agriculture and these deserve to be tapped. As nano biotechnology is taking rapid strides, this new area should direct research on the basis of priorities, social, economic and equity issues.