Seeds of change

WHILE INDIA IS STILL DEBATING THE SCOPE OF GM CROP CULTIVATION, IT CAN'T IGNORE THE GLOBAL MOMENTUM

- AMIT KAPOOR PRADEEP PURI

IN 1994, A tomato changed the world! Flavr Savr, a tomato produced in California, USA, ushered in an era where science could modify crops at the genetic level.

Since then, genetically modified (GM) crops have evolved from mere lab experiments to global agricultural staples, driven by breakthroughs in transgenics and gene editing.

In the initial two decades of GM crop commercialisation, global adoption was largely limited to maize, soya bean, and cotton. Eventually, the landscape expanded to include wheat, tomatoes, bananas, and alfalfa, each engineered for pest resistance, drought tolerance, and enhanced nutritional value. Yet, this transformation is far from uniform.

As GM crops continue to reshape agriculture, countries around the world are charting vastly different paths, presenting a mosaic of GM crop adoption. While some countries are sprinting ahead with innovation, such as the US, others in Europe, Asia, and Africa are treading cautiously through layers of domestic regulations and public debate. Moreover, according to the World Health Organization, GM food consumption has no apparent adverse effects on human health, subject to sufficiently rigorous and long-term safety testing protocols. Still, the divergence in regulatory models and public sentiment is stark across the globe. It is particularly relevant for India to understand the root cause of this divergence as the country crafts its own road map for biotechnology in agriculture. Doing so will help ensure that policy decisions strike a balance between innovation, biosafety, and public trust in a rapidly evolving agricultural future.