The Hindu Business Line : Time for re-assessment of crop bio-technology

The Bt cotton technology has drawn much attention in recent times. While its supporters swear by it, its opponents blame it for the plight of farmers in many of the cotton belts in the country.

But a recent report based on the consultation with farmers on crop biotechnology, organised by the National Commission on Farmers, strongly felt that in biotechnology lies the hope for increased productivity, sustainability and profitability for farmers.

It claimed that the cultivation of Bt cotton led to additional net profit of at least about Rs 12,000 per ha, and 40-50 per cent savings in pesticide use, while other varieties reported failure due to drought and multiple pest epidemics. Also as Bt hybrids mature early, they enable double cropping in previously single-cropped areas.

Lack of awareness

The consultation raised concerns about the lack of general awareness of biotechnology, especially transgenics/genetically modified organisms. Knowledge was generally low as most Bt cotton farmers did not grow refugia nor provided the recommended isolation distance needed for preventing cross-pollination between Bt and non-Bt strains. This is considered necessary for resistance management in Bt cotton varieties.

The consultation raised serious concerns about the sale of spurious/illegal seeds. It recommended that unofficial release of transgenics be prevented. It advocated that serious efforts to enhance general awareness on biotechnology and genetic literacy should be launched.

The consultation identified the next priority area for application of biotech in agriculture such as tolerance to drought and other abiotic stresses, tolerance to saline conditions, nutritional enrichment and so on.

It also advocated that a large-scale training programme be introduced at the Krishi Vigyan Kendras and the State-extension system to ensure safe and effective transfer of the agri-biotech technologies/products.

Dr Keshav Kranthi's scientific paper is often cited by critics of agri-biotech.

However, the research publication (by Kranthi et al. in Current Science, 2005, 89, 291-298), says that "despite the variability in toxin expression, the pest control properties are unlikely to be affected significantly at least until the crop becomes 100-115 days old. Though a few larvae survived on various plant parts in in vitro bioassays, the surviving larvae on all the parts were stunted with a weight reduction of 48.8 to 98 per cent, compared to the larvae on non-Bt cotton plants."

The American bollworm Helicoverpa armigera generally infests cotton during 60-120 days of the crop. While Bt cotton is highly effective during the 60-115-day period, insecticide sprays should be used during the remaining one-to-two-week period when bollworm populations may reach economic threshold levels due to the decline in Cry1Ac expression levels. Hence, it is incorrect to conclude that the paper says that the Bt technology in India is per se ineffective in controlling the bollworm.

A recent global study by Graham Brookes and Peter Barfoot of the socio-economic and environmental impact of genetically modified crops says that the global farm economy benefited by $4.8 billion in 2004, totalling to over $19 billion since the introduction of GM crops in 1996.

The study reported a cumulative gain of $124 million to the Indian farm economy in the last three years.

The main impact of using GM cotton has been the major increase in yield and reduction in pesticide application, culminating in net gains to farmers to the levels of profitability of $171 per hectare in 2004.

The Indian scene

In India in the current season, the legally permitted Bt cotton has been planted on over 14 lakh hectares in northern, central and southern cotton-growing areas compared to 45,000 ha in 2002-03. The area under Bt cotton accounts for 15.6 per cent of the country's total cotton area of around 90 lakh ha in the 2005-06 season.

In 2002, there were three Bt cotton hybrids. Now nearly 20 hybrids, developed by half- a-dozen companies, have been planted, and this is likely to grow further. In 2004, more than three lakh small and medium farmers in central and southern India enjoyed the benefits of the technology, and this is increasing every year.

The increase in the cotton yield during the last five years outstrips the cumulative rise in the last five decades. As a result cotton production touched 250 lakh bales (1 bale = 170 kg) in the 2005 season, higher than the projected target of 220 lakh bales for the Tenth Plan under the Technology Mission on Cotton (TMC) of the Government of India.

Cotton production has surpassed all targets. The yield that directly measures the income of poor farmers has increased from 309 kg/ha in 2001-02 to 460 kg/ha in 2004-05, and is estimated to reach 475 kg/ha in the 2005-06 season.

The figures speak volumes for the contribution Bt cotton technology is making to the farming community while providing new avenues for the Indian textile industry in the post-quota regime of the World Trade Organisation. The sustained supply of good quality raw cotton was an uncertainty a few years ago, but this has been addressed with the commercialisation of Bt technology.

Exports of cotton textiles have increased from $3 billion in 2001 to $4 billion in 2005. The textile industry is expected to reach a size of $85 billion by 2010 from $42 billion now, both in terms of exports and domestic consumption.

Taking cognisance of the performance of various Bt cotton hybrids in different agro-climatic zones, the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC) has commenced diversification in Bt genotypes by permitting more companies to introduce different Bt genes.

The farmers and the cotton textile industry are comfortable about Bt technology. The resurgence of cotton is destined to revive the lost glory of this sector. The farmers have accepted the technology, it is time for the critics to did the same.

(The authors are respectively Executive Director, All India Crop Biotechnology Association, and National Coordinator, International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-Biotech Applications.)

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