The planting of genetically engineered rice in Jharkhand is of special concern since Jharkhand along with Orissa and Chattisgarh is considered the Center of Origin, that is, the birthplace of rice and the maximum genetic diversity of rice is found here.  Any genetic contamination from foreign genes like the Bt gene has the potential to have very detrimental effects on the genetic diversity of rice.

India is Center of Origin and diversity

The Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety urges countries that are Centers of Origin of crop plants to exercise the utmost caution. Following this, other countries have decided to exercise the Precautionary Principle and have banned GM versions of the crop for which they are centers of origin, since the maximum genetic diversity of the crop is found there.

Mexico, the birthplace of corn does not allow planting of GM corn, Peru , the origin of potato has a ban on GM potato and China from where soybean originated, does not allow GM soybean. It is shocking that India, the birthplace of rice , does not exercise any caution with respect to rice germplasm and is happy to allow companies to exploit and perhaps destroy , this great genetic wealth.

It is even more shocking that Mahyco’s reckless GM rice trials in the open are being conducted in one of the three states ( Orissa, Jharkhand, Chattisgarh) which  may be considered the central core of  the genetic diversity of rice . The one place that should be off limits to GM rice !

Jeopardizing markets

Apart from that , careless field trials  like the Mahyco trial can result in GM rice entering the market and this can contaminate rice consignments meant for export. This will spell doom for rice exporters who will lose their markets in Europe, Middle East and Africa, all regions that are opposed to GM crops and foods and do not allow it in their markets.

A few years ago, we saw in the US, that rice from a single field trial , conducted by the Ventria company, found its way into US rice exports and was detected in places as far apart as Germany and Japan. This necessitated the  recall of all US rice, costing the US several million dollars. It also led to the crash of the rice markets that had been carefully built up by the US.

Gene Campaign is particularly distressed at the callous negligence of the Mahyco company in a backward tribal region where rice is the staple crop and where the genetic wealth of rice has been created and nurtured over generations by the Adivasis here. Rice is everything to them, their food, their drink, the very basis of their cultural  and religious  identity. The rice germplasm of this region is a national heritage and must be safeguarded. It cannot be opened up to the greed and exploitation of unscrupulous companies. 

Agbiotech Task Force recommendations

In recognition of the both the scientific and trade aspects of rice and the threat of GM rice to these interests, the Agbiotechnology task force chaired by Dr MS Swaminathan, had made explicit recommendations that GM rice should be kept far away from centers of  rice diversity and that crops in which India had a trading interest, like rice and soybean, should not be genetically engineered, for fear of losing assured markets.

Gene Campaign demands that all field trials of rice must be stopped immediately. This is a crop, which is crucial to global food security.

*The Mahyco seed company must be fined heavily for jeopardizing this precious genetic wealth and putting at risk the future food security of the country and the livelihoods of countless farmers dependent on rice cultivation.

*Given the grave nature of  Mahyco’s violation , the company should be barred from testing any transgenic crops for at least five years.

*Any further violations by Mahyco should lead to the suspension of its license. 

Suman Sahai