Public Conference on Genetically Modified
Crops (organised by Poovulgain Nanbargal)
C V Raman hall, Anna university, ACT
Campus, 10th June,2017
For a moment, look through the plant
organisms, look through the Cell that is beautifully packed by nature, within
which the nucleus is tightly placed and the Genes are configured/coded/placed
in it all by itself by the nature through the process of evolution for counted
centuries and uncounted Infinity years.
Is it even fair to break the code for some hundred years of science ? . You can see the detailed argument happened below.
Is it even fair to break the code for some hundred years of science ? . You can see the detailed argument happened below.
(Note - If you are looking for a detailed essay or a brief science note on GM crops this is not the place for it.
I am just summing up the discussions that I remember in an QA format.)
1) What is GM ?
GM is when you modify the Gene , the basic nature of the plant or the crop by breaking the molecular structure/Gene structure of it and altering the structure with some other molecular component.
2) Where
did GM start in India?
It all started with BT Cotton when the government wanted to bring in some High yielding crop variety in cotton against Organic cotton. Now , For your Information BT is not Bio technology, it refers to a bacteria named Bacillus Thuringiensis which is itself toxic in nature and the toxicity was supposed to keep the other External bacteria’s away through the modified BT induced Genes. However , it was carried away to the cows through the cotton seeds as their major food Ingredient. Now this toxicity is being carried into humans through Cow’s milk. With the Latest Stats, 95% of the cotton variety is already BT and few Good souls are trying to keep the remaining 5% alive. Now, it is evidently proved that Organic Cotton has more cost yield than BT cotton since we can have 11 varieties of Intercrop with Organic Cotton.
Now the science is moved and being applied to a direct Consumption item Brinjal.
It all started with BT Cotton when the government wanted to bring in some High yielding crop variety in cotton against Organic cotton. Now , For your Information BT is not Bio technology, it refers to a bacteria named Bacillus Thuringiensis which is itself toxic in nature and the toxicity was supposed to keep the other External bacteria’s away through the modified BT induced Genes. However , it was carried away to the cows through the cotton seeds as their major food Ingredient. Now this toxicity is being carried into humans through Cow’s milk. With the Latest Stats, 95% of the cotton variety is already BT and few Good souls are trying to keep the remaining 5% alive. Now, it is evidently proved that Organic Cotton has more cost yield than BT cotton since we can have 11 varieties of Intercrop with Organic Cotton.
Now the science is moved and being applied to a direct Consumption item Brinjal.
3) From BT to GM: The all new Rebranding
The Idea to sell a Product is to rebrand it and market it saying that is entirely a Different one. Like they have rebranded Methane to Hydrocarbon , BT was renamed to GM. The First product to stand in Queue is GM Mustard , the one direct consumption item that can be commonly found in everyone’s kitchen.
The Idea to sell a Product is to rebrand it and market it saying that is entirely a Different one. Like they have rebranded Methane to Hydrocarbon , BT was renamed to GM. The First product to stand in Queue is GM Mustard , the one direct consumption item that can be commonly found in everyone’s kitchen.
4) Why Mustard ?
Even we wouldn’t really know why mustard
was chosen as the first item for GM. All we knew is there are hundred other
direct food crops standing in Queue for approval if GM mustard is let in. The
science is all same from BT cotton to GM Mustard . The reason being stated for
GM Mustard is to bring down the dependency in edible oil import and that GM
Crops will compensate the increasing food demand of increasing Population.
5) Is our food demand really Increasing ?
No. Believe it or not, With the latest stats, population growth rate is not increasing and it is declining. The Infertility rate is increasing due to toxicity we face day to day. The Cancer and tumor Rates are increasing and the death due to obesity, diabetics are higher than the death towards starvation . So The food demand is not really increasing and it is all just a hoax.
GM – Monsanto – Bayer
Monsanto is the biggest American Multi national company which is all behind the scene when it comes to GM around the globe. Monsanto is recently acquired by Bayer a German Enterprise which is responsible for 60% of World’s toxic pesticides. Bayer also holds 33% share in Indian Cancer spreading Giant ITC. (Its all a chain) Every Patent to GM is with these companies(Note-A separate discussion is happening in world forum that Genes are also falling under life form which could not be patterned) which means whatever you do in Delhi labs does not really belong to you or it cannot be done without the notice to these companies. Imagine it is 100 % GM’d and every farmer is depended on the GM seeds supplied to him every season and suddenly one day these MNC’s withdraw their support towards GM technology. It is one horrible thing to Imagine.
GM and GDP
Everyone of us here knows GDP in terms of Gross Domestic Product. But do we really know how it is constituted and Contributed from various sectors. Our Major Contribution towards GDP is through service sector however Agricultural sector still hold 50% above jobs in India. So, Implementation of GM in agricultural sector is not going to constitute to GDP since the Yield is not really proved to be higher than the ordinary Crops. But GM will constitute to GDP through Pharmas, Insurances and Hospitals.
GM Vs Hybrids:
A common question and confusion arises between GM and Hybrids. Even I was confused till today. The Basic idea is that GM is the structural modification of the Crops Gene by manual Science and hybrid is by cross cultivating and it is a naturally evolving process. So , hybrids are safe and we no need to worry about the rare big tomatoes or the thick/thin skin of it unless until it is a hybrid variety. However GM is not safe and no Direct GM Crops are into markets yet.
What Lies Ahead ?
I think I have summed up all the discussions that I could remember.(I didn’t take a notepad to conf ☹) To summarize this, everything that is against nature has not turned out so good and also there is no necessity for it. Science is needed however the science and society should be bounded together by looking through the eyes of society for the betterment of Humanity. You can read more the GM Crops on indiagminfo.org . Thanks.
-Shankar
5) Is our food demand really Increasing ?
No. Believe it or not, With the latest stats, population growth rate is not increasing and it is declining. The Infertility rate is increasing due to toxicity we face day to day. The Cancer and tumor Rates are increasing and the death due to obesity, diabetics are higher than the death towards starvation . So The food demand is not really increasing and it is all just a hoax.
GM – Monsanto – Bayer
Monsanto is the biggest American Multi national company which is all behind the scene when it comes to GM around the globe. Monsanto is recently acquired by Bayer a German Enterprise which is responsible for 60% of World’s toxic pesticides. Bayer also holds 33% share in Indian Cancer spreading Giant ITC. (Its all a chain) Every Patent to GM is with these companies(Note-A separate discussion is happening in world forum that Genes are also falling under life form which could not be patterned) which means whatever you do in Delhi labs does not really belong to you or it cannot be done without the notice to these companies. Imagine it is 100 % GM’d and every farmer is depended on the GM seeds supplied to him every season and suddenly one day these MNC’s withdraw their support towards GM technology. It is one horrible thing to Imagine.
GM and GDP
Everyone of us here knows GDP in terms of Gross Domestic Product. But do we really know how it is constituted and Contributed from various sectors. Our Major Contribution towards GDP is through service sector however Agricultural sector still hold 50% above jobs in India. So, Implementation of GM in agricultural sector is not going to constitute to GDP since the Yield is not really proved to be higher than the ordinary Crops. But GM will constitute to GDP through Pharmas, Insurances and Hospitals.
GM Vs Hybrids:
A common question and confusion arises between GM and Hybrids. Even I was confused till today. The Basic idea is that GM is the structural modification of the Crops Gene by manual Science and hybrid is by cross cultivating and it is a naturally evolving process. So , hybrids are safe and we no need to worry about the rare big tomatoes or the thick/thin skin of it unless until it is a hybrid variety. However GM is not safe and no Direct GM Crops are into markets yet.
What Lies Ahead ?
I think I have summed up all the discussions that I could remember.(I didn’t take a notepad to conf ☹) To summarize this, everything that is against nature has not turned out so good and also there is no necessity for it. Science is needed however the science and society should be bounded together by looking through the eyes of society for the betterment of Humanity. You can read more the GM Crops on indiagminfo.org . Thanks.
-Shankar
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