Two of India's foremost agricultural scientists, whose names invariably come up whenever the phrase "green revolution" is uttered or written about - Dr. MS Swaminathan and Dr MV Rao-have not endorsed the application of Bt technology in brinjal so far Why?
The recent decision of the government of India to impose a moratorium on the release of Bt-Brinjal has been hailed by civil society and scientists alike as a victory for transparency and has demonstrated that the government is responsive to societal demands.
Manila (Philippines): The moratorium on commercial cultivation of Bt brinjal in India, which has led to a controversy over genetically modified (GM) food crops in the country, has caught farmers
Environment Minister lashes out at NHAI for its poor re-forestation record
New Delhi: The tussle between ministries of surface transport and environment over environmental clearances continues unabated, with environment minister Jairam Ramesh levelling serious charges against Kamal Nath.
This recent report on GM foods released by Greenpeace provides the perspective on citizens' views on GM foods. 87% of people have said that they have the right to information related to GM foods, before the decisions on GM/ GE foods are made.
People may never look at brinjal in the same way again. In the last few months, this innocuous vegetable has garnered much public attention and so did the research and development happening in the field of agriculture. R&D in agriculture which usually misses to impress the media or the people assumed centre stage in the weeks preceding the declaration of Jairam Ramesh on the fate of Bt Brinjal.
The issue concerning genetically-modified crops is not that Bt brinjal was consigned to cold storage but the process that led to its approval being held in abeyance, says Arvind Panagariya
Monsanto devotes an annual budget of $10 million to harassing, intimidating, suing -and in some cases bankrupting -American farmers over alleged improper use of its patented seeds. This will become the norm for India as well
THERE is unlikely to be any decision on Bt food crops till next year. Dr K Kasturirangan, who is discussing the controversial issue of biotechnology and food crops with the scientific community, will present a detailed review report in December this year.
