Civil society groups appeal against sacrificing biosafety for biotech companies

On the second day of sixth the meeting of parties (MoP) to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, civil society groups, particularly from the host country India, urged global leaders to follow the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), in letter and spirit. They appealed to global nations to ensure that biodiversity and with it the access of the local people to their biological heritage is not sacrificed for risky and irreversible technologies like genetic engineering in agriculture.

Submission to parliamentary committee on agriculture regarding GM crops

The issue of genetically modified food crops, must be considered in terms of India’s ability to regulate new technologies, the credibility of the scientific system that allows the use of these new technologies and most importantly, the issues of price and control of new technologies that take agricultural decisions out of the hands of farmers.   Sunita Narain dealt with the following key concerns in her submission: 

Down To Earth Editor Sunita Narain's submission to parliamentary committee on agriculture regarding GM crops

The parliamentary committee report on the crucial matter of genetically modified (GM) crops is out and needs to be carefully read and not summarily thrashed. It is clear that GM technologies need a robust and credible regulatory framework to ensure that they work in the interests of people and the environment.

Parliament panel report on GM food highlights rift within government