Swaminathan Calls for Reviving GM Crop Trials for Hunger-Free India

Eminent agriculture scientist MS Swaminathan and Father of Green Revolution in India calls for reviving GM crop field trials for speeding up the race to make India a hunger-free nation. Speaking at the 35th convocation of Anna University on November 5,  2014, he said that the present moratorium on field trials was serving as a serious handicap as well as a disincentive in harnessing the benefits of a wide array of transgenic material currently available with various public and private sector research organizations and universities. 

Prof. Swaminathan also suggested to introduce the revised bill of Biotechnology Regulatory Authority in the Parliament again. He said, "While it may take time to set up a Parliament-approved National Biotechnology and Biosafety Regulatory Authority, guidelines for safe field test should be developed. Enforcement of procedures for the release of GMOs for commercial cultivation through the proposed Act may take time, but field testing under well-defined safeguards should go on." Boosting the morale of agriculture scientists, he said "Much of this work has been done in institutions committed to public good. Also, much of the work has been done by brilliant young scientists who are getting discouraged because of the lack of a clear official signal on the future of genetic modification." The World Health Organization had prescribed 2025 as the year for the world to become hunger-free, Prof. Swaminathan emphasized that this goal should be achieved sooner in India.

For details, read http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/India-should-revive-safe-field-test-of-GM-crops-M-S-Swaminathan-says/articleshow/45045520.cms.