India has done something unusual in defying the long-established trend of capitulating to corporate power. Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh must be complimented for imposing a moratorium on the commercial release of genetically modified (GM) brinjal (baigan, aubergine, eggplant) developed by Mahyco-Monsanto in collaboration with two Indian agricultural universities. He deserves encomiums for consulting stakeholders in major brinjal-producing states like West Bengal, Orissa and Andhra Pradesh. This public consultation approach sets a good precedent. This deserves to become a model for governmental decision-making on all issues that concern people’s livelihoods.
Tag - GM Crops
Technical Committee Approves Bt Brinjal: Paving the way for Frankenfoods?
The future of Indian agriculture and food security doesn’t lie in GM foods. They are unsafe, deliver no real benefits, and are bad for the environment and human health.