Biotechnology is not a bad ideaIT is noteworthy that the Indian prime minister's working group set up to suggest long-term solutions to meet the growing demand for affordable food has acknowledged the use of biotechnology as integral to a second Green Revolution, notes a commentary from the Times of India. Excerpts: Although Indian agriculture serves as a good example of incorporating hybrid varieties of high-yielding crops, the attitude towards genetically modified or transgenic food has been skeptical. Bt cotton is the only transgenic crop currently approved for cultivation in India. Bt brinjal is under moratorium for commercial release. In a country where 65 percent of agricultural land is still dependent on the monsoon, there needs to be far greater investment in biotechnology-driven solutions to increase yields. True, there are valid health and environment concerns regarding the adoption of genetically modified crops. It is for this reason that adequate safeguards need to be in place to ensure consumer safety. But an outright rejection of genetically modified food would be detrimental to the country's food security. Given the huge deficit between demand and production, there is an urgent need to adopt a holistic approach to agriculture. Brazil serves as a good example. Over the last 40 years the South American nation has scripted an agricultural revolution in the dry plains of the country by providing basic inputs on a large scale and vigorously adopting GM crops. There is no reason why India can't replicate this. Storage and delivery is the other side of the problem that can be significantly mitigated by policy decisions that allow for greater FDI in retail. Scientific innovations combined with a farsighted farm-to-fork agriculture strategy are the answer to India's growing food needs. __
