A DECISION is agitating the environmentalists and agricultural scientists as to whether genetically modified vegetable like potato should be adopted in the country for commercial farming at the household level. The scientists say it is the need of the time for food security while the environmentalists say it will destroy the traditional farming and on top of it genetically modified potato may be harmful to human health.
Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (Bari) has developed the genetically modified (GM) vegetables and now trying to put the seeds of potato for marketing in the face of huge oppositions and protests from the environmentalists. A report in a local English daily on Wednesday raised the issue focusing on the debate. It said commercial cultivation of the genetically modified potatoes is planned soon following the release of the potato seeds in one year and a half year time.
Bangladesh formally started the venture of cultivation of four types of genetically modified aubergine obtaining approval from the government’s biosafety regulator earlier this year amid criticism of civil society members, environmentalist groups and scientist from home and abroad. The government released the seeds hurriedly without enough research and public consultation. Bangladesh is the 29th nation to grow genetically modified (GM) crops and the first to grow GM aubergine, known as Bt brinjal in the country.
Bt toxins are known to have many off-target effects, including toxicity to beneficial pest predators, animals and human cells. The Philippines and India have dropped plans to introduce genetically modified aubergine in the face of public protests and interventions of courts. Bangladesh has taken the Bt gene technology from India’s Mahyco company, though commercial cultivation isn’t permitted in India because of protests over its biosafety and concerns over economic viability. A technical committee appointed by India’s Supreme Court in October 2012 had recommended a 10-year blanket ban on field trials of genetically engineered food crops, prompting criticism and opposition by many scientists. The courts gave priority to balanced and healthful ecology as well as legal ground of constitutional rights over the commercial cultivation of bio-tech vegetables.
In September 2013, the Bangladesh High Court also ruled that the government should not release bt-Brinjal without assessing the health risks. It also ordered concerned government agencies to submit a report within 3 months, after conducting independent research on health safety in line with standards set by the Codex Alimentarius. But the authorities concerned approved the commercialization of the Bt-Brinjal despite the court’s refusal to give permission .
Now the government is going to give approval to genetically modified potato cultivation similarly ignoring the court order and also protests from the environmentalist and civil society organizations. We hold the view that the government should not make haste to serve the business interest of certain multi-nationals and must pay heed to local reactions from knowledgeable quarters and other stakeholders.
