Vice Chancellor for Research to Assess Impact of Biotech

Research will generate information on benefits, costs and bio-safety issues, he says.

Coimbatore: The Vice-Chancellor of Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, C. Ramasamy, has called for a “rigorous scientific research” to assess the socioeconomic impacts of biotech products on agriculture.

Inaugurating a workshop on Policy Research in Agricultural Biotechnology in the university recently, he said agricultural biotechnology was a strategically significant tool for improving national food security, raising agricultural productivity of crops, declining water availability and other biotic and abiotic stresses.

The research would generate information on the benefits, costs, distribution of benefits, consumer preferences, bio-safety issues and regulatory framework associated with biotechnology for informed decision-making.

Negative Impact:

He pointed out that the number of biotechnological questions remained unanswered. Social activists, environmentalists and non-Governmental organizations treated often-scientific questions as emotional issues. Such unscientific approaches would have negative impact on development and diffusion of new technologies. People were misled mostly on anecdotal evidences. Hence, it was imperative have a rigorous scientific research.

Mr. Ramsamy said the area under the genetically modified cotton shot up from 50,000 hectares in 2004 to 3.8 million hectares in 2006 in the country. This would double by 2012, he added.

This cotton had increased yields and reduced pesticide use. But the role of biotechnology in ushering in an agriculture-led economic transformation in developing countries was subject to intense scientific debate and public controversy.

He admitted that generally new technologies triggered asymmetric effects on different sectors of the economy, which include changes in profit, employment, real wages, gender relations and trade.

The Vice-Chancellor said that the National Biotechnology Development Strategy of the Government of India observed that biotechnology raised a number of economic, social, ethical and environmental issues. “So there is a need to work actively and transparently to inform and engage the civil society in division-making and to maintain a relationship of trust and confidence.”

VC for Research to Assess Impact of Biotech