The approval of Bt cotton for the south of India, following the hype created by Monsanto and the resultant spread of illegal seeds by seed merchants cashing in on the expectations created, is now triggering problems in north India and in neighbouring Pakistan where there is no Bt cotton approval (item 2).
This "viral marketing" then creates pressure for the regulatory systems to catch up and legitimise an undesirable situation in which, from the evidence to date from India, farmers are the ultimate victims.
1.GMOs will not solve hunger, but will make it worse!
2.Monitoring the illegal Bt cotton crop in Pakistan
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1.GMOs will not solve hunger, but will make it worse!
Press statement
16 July 2004 Maputo, Mozambique
A coalition of international mainstream environmental, consumer and farmer groups today condemned the aggressive promotion of GMOs as a solution to hunger in the world. The condemnation was made public following an international conference held from 15 to 16 July in Maputo, Mozambique on the topic of hunger, food aid and GMOs. The Conference gathered over 100 representatives from more than 20 countries from Europe, America, Asia and Africa.
The coalition was particularly critical of the UN body on Food and Agriculture (FAO) for its lenient report biased towards the multinationals’ as opposed to farmers and consumers interests. The report presents GMOs as a key mechanism to ending hunger and to improving food security in Africa and the rest of the world.
"Not only GMOs will not solve the problem of hunger, but they will worsen and complicate the hunger issue even further", said the coalition. "FAO, through the publication of its biased report has betrayed the interest of farmers and consumers worldwide".
The safety of genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) has not been established beyond doubt and experience shows that the production of GMOs only satisfies the interest of a minority of big biotech corporations.
For more information:
Diamantino Niamposa, Via Campesina (+258) 820 238 844
Amadou Kanoute, Consumers International, (+263-4) 302 283
Anuradha Mittal, The Oakland Institute, (+1 510) 530 5126
Nnimmo Bassey, Friends of the Earth, (+234) 803 727 4395
Lim Li Lin, Third World Network, (+603) 230 025 85
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2.Monitoring the illegal Bt cotton crop
By Shaukat Ali Bhambhro
The Dawn (Pakistan), 5 July 2004
http://www.dawn.com/2004/07/05/ebr11.htm
Following the introduction of Bt cotton in India, reportedly through illegal and secret trials initially during 1990's, here in Pakistan fears
had been expressed by some quarters that like other items, seeds of Bt cotton may be smuggled into the country.
Unfortunately, these fears have proved true. In the year 2001-02, cultivation of Bt cotton was undertaken illegally both in the lower and upper Sindh probably with the seeds smuggled from India.
In the absence of any bio-safety laws, it was obligatory upon the two main bodies working under the federal ministry of food, agriculture and
livestock (MINFAL) to take notice of the issue.
Unfortunately neither the Federal Seed Certification Department nor the Federal Plant Protection Department probed the matter. I would be proper here to mention that under the Seed Act, 1976, cultivation of any unapproved variety is not allowed.
Similarly, under Plant Quarantine Rules, 1967 no body is allowed to import any plant or plant materials including seeds without the import
permit of the DPP. The apathy of both the departments concerned may be termed as almost criminal in view of the fact that cotton is the most important cash crop of Pakistan.
Regarding the performance of Bt cotton it would be pertinent to mention that two years observations of this transgenic variety, under the climatic conditions of upper Sindh, indicated that performance of Bt cotton was very much erratic.
Under no rain and hot and dry weather conditions it was found highly susceptible to Jassid and CLCV disease, whereas under heavy monsoon rain of 2003 it was found susceptible also to armyworm.
Besides, cultivation with mixture of Bt cotton and non-Bt cottonseeds was found harbouring more bollworms problem as compared to cultivation undertaken with pure non-Bt cotton seeds.
This very demerit of Bt cotton bears especial significance in view of the fact that mixing in seeds, fertilizers, pesticides etc is a common
feature and should have to be taken note of while making any policy to this effect.
One most haunting aspect of Bt cotton cultivation may be that seed produced with Bt and non-Bt cotton will ultimately be used as poultry and animal feed besides its use in the edible oil preparation.
Moreover, the impact on milk and meat of animals and birds that will consume transgenic feed is not known to us. No doubt, Agriculture Extension, (Sindh) as well as MINFAL have been found advising growers not to undertake Bt cotton cultivation as it may lead to serious ecological consequences and even crop loss but reality on the ground was that their advice or warning gone unheeded by the farmers in Sindh.
As a matter of fact, craze of Bt cotton is due to the hype generated by seed mafia that its cultivation reduces the bollworm attack. According to the Financial Express (India, June 11), the Union tourism minister, Renuka Chaudhary hit out hard at unnecessary hype generated about the
performance of Bt cotton. Ms Chaudhary said: "In Andhra Pradesh, both Bt cotton and non Bt cotton have equally performed well in 03 season. At times it is difficult to differentiate between the two". Reportedly in India last year Mahyco-Monsanto had applied to the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee [GEAC) for approval of a Bt cotton variety in north India, but this variety was rejected as it was found susceptible to the
dangerous leaf curl virus.
However, this year Bt cotton varieties developed by a local Rasi Seeds have been granted permission for large-scale field trials in north India. In spite of the fact that in India large-scale cultivation as well as trials of Bt cotton variety were developed locally, it is also a fact that its performance has remained a matter of debate.
On May 12, 2003 the above-mentioned newspaper reported: "convener of Andhra Pradesh Coalition in Defence of Diversity [APCIDD], P.V Satheesh has said that contrary to the claims of Monsanto, Bt cotton has failed in the state.
The farmers who cultivated Bt cotton yielded 9 per cent less profit as compared to those who cultivated non-Bt cotton.
This is dangerous. Cotton seeds are used in animal and poultry feeds. Milk and poultry products derived from animals and birds which have consumed Bt feed may invite serious health hazards in humans". Moreover, according to the "Irish Independent" (18 June, 2004): "The Irish cattle and sheep Farmer/s Association has become the first farm organization to demand that Ireland become G M free.
It called upon the Government to adopt a policy to keep genetically modified organisms out of the Ireland and use this as a part of a strategy to develop and market the green image of Irish food produce.
This will give Ireland a marketing edge over EU countries that may take a different approach to G M The ICSA said survey clearly showed that the majority of E U consumer were strongly opposed to the use of GM organisms, whether as part of the human diet or in feed for animals.
Here in Pakistan, the government has been found adopting a policy of wait and see.
Supporters of the technology argue that useful traits such as higher vitamin content can help solve nutritional disease in developing countries. They claim using herbicide and insecticide resistant crops would reduce the need for chemical sprays.
Where as its opponents say that too little is known about this new technology and urge a precautionary approach to it. They argue there could be hidden health impact and modified plants grown in the open could spread herbicide-resistant genes into weeds, making them impossible to clear.
Suggestion: There is no denying the fact that, violating Pakistan Seed Act of 1976 and Plant Quarantine Rules of 1967, cultivation of Bt cotton [GM] has been in practice for the last three years in the province of Sindh.
Since giving a free hand to this transgenic cotton variety may be perilous in the long run for the very agriculture of our country, it is suggested that a committee of highly competent cotton scientists be formed to monitor the performance of illegal Bt cotton crop as well as its ecological impacts on bio diversity during the current cotton season both in lower and upper Sindh regions.
If the committee finds that the Bt cotton may have a good potential in the country then Government may allow its cultivation with the Bt seeds developed in our own research centre in the country.