I happened to be in Hirekur taluk in Haveri district of Karnataka to attend an Independence Day flag hoisting function this year. Farmers dominated the gathering. Not surprisingly, all talk seemed centred around the Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) cotton experiment in the state. Pleased with my evident interest in their talk, the farmers invited me to see their Bt cotton. I promptly took them up on their offer, and gathered my colleagues in Hope Foundation to tour these fields.

We were clear about how we wished to set about this study. We would tour the fields randomly, and work without bias. All we wanted to do was arrive at an understanding of how Bt cotton is faring in cultivation. But when my colleagues and I landed in Hirekur, we found farmers whispering worriedly among themselves. They seemed convinced that we were part of M