This led us to initiate an anticipatory research programme to breed salt tolerant varieties of mustard, pulses and rice in coastal areas, in order to be prepared for sea water intrusion into farmland as a result of a rise in sea level.

The donor of salt tolerance was a mangrove species. Transferring genes for tolerance to salinity from mangrove tree species to rice, mustard or tobacco is an impossible task without recourse to recombinant DNA experiments.

Thus, the immense benefits that can accrue from genomics and molecular breeding are clear. What are the principal concerns? 

Besides bio-safety concerns, the following three issues: First, India is a land of small farm holdings.

There is concern that expansion of proprietary science and shrinking of “public good” research supported from public funds may lead to a situation where the technologies of the future remain in the hands of a few transnational corporations.

Only resource-rich farmers may have access to them, thereby enlarging the genetic divide. 

Second, the monopolistic control over crop varieties could lead to a situation where large areas are covered by very few genetic strains or hybrids.

What will happen to the livelihoods of farm men and women operating small holdings with institutional credit and with no crop insurance cover, if GM cotton, maize, soybean, rice, potato or other crops are affected by serious diseases as a result of the breakdown of resistance?

Hence, GM crops should be cultivated only with appropriate disease containment agronomy.

A third issue relates to the potential impact of GM foods on bio-diversity. This aspect has two dimensions – one dealing with the replacement of numerous local cultivars with one or two GM strains, thereby leading to genetic erosion, and the other relating to equity in benefit sharing between biotechnologists and the primary conservers of genetic resources and the holders of traditional knowledge. 

At present, the primary conservers remain poor, while those who use their knowledge (for example, the medicinal properties of plants) and material become rich.

This has resulted in accusations of bio-piracy. It is time that genetic engineers promote genuine bio-partnerships with the holders of indigenous knowledge and conservers of genetic variability, based on principles of ethics and equity in benefit sharing.

Unless research and development efforts on GM foods are based on principles of bio-ethics, bio-safety, bio-diversity conservation and bio-partnerships, there will be serious public concern about the ultimate nutritional, social, ecological and economic consequences of replacing numerous local varieties with a few GMOs.

Also, under conditions where the market is the dominant factor in determining research priorities, “orphans will remain orphans” in terms of investment of research funds, unless the public sector steps in. 

We should not throw the baby with the bath water. Genetic engineering is only a tool for bringing about novel genetic combinations.

Molecular genetics is the pathway to precision breeding. We should not condone unauthorised releases of GMOs, as in Gujarat. What is important is to put in place an objective and speedy risk-benefit analysis mechanism which inspires public trust.

For this purpose, the government of India should set up without further delay a multi-stakeholder National Commission on Genetic Modification for Food and Health Security.

Recent events with Bt Cotton in Gujarat underline the urgency of such a multi-stakeholder body which functions in a transparent and professionally credible manner.