Various farmers’ organisations, environmentalists, and natural wellness groups, which gathered here on Saturday to voice their opposition against Genetically Modified (GM) crops, have decided to organise campaigns against GM crops.
This move comes after the Supreme Court order in July 2024, directing the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) to formulate a national policy on GM crops through public consultations.
The meeting, which was inaugurated by Dr. V.S. Vijayan, former chairman of the Kerala State Biodiversity Board, demanded that instead of promoting GM crops, the Indian government should prioritise a policy that addresses biosafety, biosecurity, and socioeconomic considerations.
“The government should not introduce a technology that is risky, dangerous, and unneeded by farmers. We will work unitedly to protect farmers from the false promises of biotech proponents and short-term lures. The Union Ministry should undertake widespread and visible consultative processes for evolving the policy,” the meeting demanded.
The speakers noted that State governments should also be part of the consultations and take a stand in line with public interest. They reiterated their rejection of modern biotechnology as a costly and unsafe formula that is being pushed with false promises to capture and control farming systems.
The meet also sought to reverse corporate control through Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) on seeds and genetic material. The Government of India should address the negative effects of intensive agriculture paradigms and recognise that GM seeds and organisms are not needed in Indian food and farming systems, they pointed out.
Noted environmentalists and experts including S. Usha, Ashok Kumar V., Sridhar Radhakrishnan, and Pavithra shared their insights on the science and impact of genetically modified crops.
Published – November 30, 2024 09:04 pm IST
