India can ill-afford to be food insecure

GM crops can solve issues of hunger. India would lose its credibility due to its opposition to the technology

The year 2016 is the United Nations year of pulses. This holds great importance for India, where it is a key source of nutrition. Visiting Indian scientists tell me that in 2015, in particular, pulses went out of reach of the common Indian citizen due to burgeoning prices fuelled by declining production and record imports. India has a billion mouths to feed and giant strides to take in the world economy. At this crucial juncture of history, it can ill-afford to be food insecure.

If we want to promote and pursue latest advancements in science and technology, policy and regulations should be consistent, fair and transparent across the board.

Government of India figures indicate that food has not been taken seriously when it comes to its production across the country’s farmlands. Over the years, they have been declining in productivity and nutritional aspects due to various reasons, including a clear impact of climate change. While the scientific community has been working on technologies which can help to combat the impact of climate change, it seems policymakers continue to lack the vision and far- sightedness to overcome the issue of food security.

This year would also be the year when genetically modified (GM) crop technology would commemorate two decades of its introduction in the US, and to date, not a single credible report based on scientific evidence has claimed of any negative impact of this technology on public health or bio-diversity. Can we allow unscientific reasoning to deprive a rising global population of their right to food?

Technology advancements, especially in the field of agriculture, could be a game changer for solving the issues of hunger and malnutrition. But what are the fallouts if such advancements are not allowed to see the light of day?

It takes 10-12 years to commercialise a new biotechnology crop. With such long gestation periods, the industry cannot survive in perennial uncertainty over whether their research will eventually reach its logical conclusion, which is benefitting society at large. A prolonged regulatory impasse and pandering to vested interests can also discourage sentiments. Such an environment is not in the best interests of the Indian economy and the farmers who are yearning for innovative technologies to boost their yields and income levels. Eventually, this will not only lead to the flight of much-needed capital for research and development in agriculture, but will also cause a scarcity of intellectual capital in the form of promising agriculture scientists, professionals and economists.

The time has come to question the motives of groups so steadfastly opposed to crop biotechnology.

So if recent news reports about India’s rising and unprecedented food import bills are anything to go by, it is time for the government set clear guidelines for field trials and commercial approval of transgenic crops, and adhere to them strictly, else the country will lose credibility in front of its own and foreign researchers and investors. There are enough and more takers around the world for innovative technology and even more who respect the cost of intellectual capital and international laws of free trade.