posted by Frank van Schoubroeck

In India the proposed release of BT-aubergine (brinjal) is heavily debated. Protesters who are afraid of “Frankenstein Food” are taking to the streets. The Union Minister has just decided to impose a moratorium on the release of GM (genetically modified) aubergine (eggplant). “I have read all scientific and non-scientific arguments, and found that there was no agreement in society on the release of BT-brinjal. We live in a democracy, where people discuss and disagree.” In the press conference he insisted that this was neither a ban nor an acceptance of the transgene crop. He awaited thorough research hoping that this would help pro- and opponents to agree.
The MS Swaminathan Research Foundation and FAO organised a global conference on “Biodiversity and food production on a warming planet” on February 15-17 in Chennai, India. The conference produced the “Chennai Declaration” that was read out to the Minister of Environment and Forests, Jairam Ramesh. The Minister stressed that India has institutions such as the Indian Biodiversity Authority, and has taken measures to protect farmers Intellectual Property Rights. One such measure was to have all the biodiversity in the Union described, and sent to the Patent bureaus of Europe and the US.
In the same building, young researchers of the MS Swaminathan Research Institute proudly showed that they have transferred mangrove genes into rice – thus building a salt-tolerant rice variety. The laboratory looked like a well-to-do kitchen, and with some special equipment, building in genes is “as simple as making a good dosa”. The researchers felt they were contributing to addressing the hunger issue in India, where over half of the rural population lacks secure access to food. “We try to build a rice variety in response to the needs of farmers.”