Summary posted by Meridian on 1/30/2012
Source: Crop Biotech Update
Author(s): n/a
A new policy paper from India’s National Academy of Agricultural Sciences (NAAS) puts forward recommendations and an action plan for the safe, inclusive and judicious harnessing of genetic modification (GM) technologies to promote accelerated and sustained crop production. According to this article, the NAAS paper critically examines current biosafety issues within India, and prospects for benefiting from GM technology. The paper concludes that GM technology is a powerful tool for developing future crop varieties with in-built resistance to various biotic and abiotic stresses, enhanced input use efficiency, increased yields, and quality traits. GM crops are crucial for India’s food and nutritional security, the paper argues, and research must continue on developing safer, more productive, and nutritious food crops. The article notes that the NAAS paper follows the release in December 2010 of an “Inter-Academy Report on GM Crops,” produced by six top science academies in India, which endorsed the safety of Bt brinjal and which recommended its limited release. Bt brinjal would have become the first GM food crop to be commercialized in India, but in February 2010 then Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh placed a moratorium on its commercialization. The policy paper, entitled Biosafety Assurance for GM Food Crops in India, is available online at the link below.
The original article may still be available at http://naasindia.org/policy.