'Rigorous scientific research needed'-by TNAU
The Vice-Chancellor of Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, C. Ramasamy, has called for a "rigorous scientific research" to assess the socio-economic impacts of biotech products on agriculture.Inaugurating a workshop on Policy Research in Agricultural Biotechnology in the university recently, he said agricultural biotechnology was a strategically significant tool for improving national food security, raising agricultural productivity and creating a competitive position in international market. This was especially significant in the context of declining productivity of crops, declining water availability and other biotic and abiotic stresses.The research would generate information on the benefits, costs, distribution of benefits, consumer preferences, bio-safety issues and regulatory framework associated with biotechnology for informed decision-making.He pointed out that a number of biotechnological questions remained unanswered. Social activists, environmentalists and non-Governmental organisations treated often-scientific questions as emotional issues. Such unscientific approaches would have negative impact on development and diffusion of new technologies. People were misled mostly on anecdotal evidences. Hence, it was imperative to have a rigorous scientific research.Mr. Ramsamy said the area under the genetically modified cotton shot up from 50,000 hectares in 2004 to 3.8 million hectares in 2006 in the country. This would double by 2012, he added.This cotton had increased yields and reduced pesticide use. But the role of biotechnology in ushering in an agriculture-led economic transformation in developing countries was subject to intense scientific debate and public controversy.He admitted that generally new technologies triggered asymmetric effects on different sectors of the economy, which included changes in profit, employment, real wages, gender relations and trade.The Vice-Chancellor said that the National Biotechnology Development Strategy of the Government of India observed that biotechnology raised a number of economic, social, ethical and environmental issues. "So there is a need to work actively and transparently to inform and engage the civil society in decision-making and to maintain a relationship of trust and confidence."
He asserted that informed decisions on agricultural biotechnology research and policies could only be made when stakeholder concerns were identified and benefits and costs associated with using the technologies were clearly delineated.P. Balasubramanian, Director, Centre for Plant Molecular Biology, said that this was the first time that the Department of Biotechnology had sanctioned a project for socio-economic research in the country realising the importance of interaction between technology and civil society.A. Narayanamoorthy of Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics, Pune, said that the profit realised by Bt cotton growers was 80 per cent higher than that of non-Bt cultivators.
