With food security in mind, India’s Agriculture Minister plans push for GM crops

Agriculture minister Sharad Pawar has said the lack of a cohesive governmental policy on genetically modified (GM) crops could harm India’s long-term food security, a matter he would raise with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Pawar told HT that a squeamish policy had “totally demoralised.”

government scientists, while stifling private initiatives, both of which were critical for keeping pressure off food availability for a growing population. To be sure, the minister said he would publish a book on the role of GM crops.

Government scientists need “direction”, he said, because technologies take years to develop. “All this has serious food security implications.”

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He made the remarks when asked about a recent parliamentary standing committee report, led by Left MP Basudev Acharya, which recommended quitting farm biotechnology.

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