Truth about GMO

There are very interesting developments in the field of agricultural biotechnology currently in India.

The Maharashtra Hybrid Seed Company (Mahyco) has offered to the technology and basic breeding material from Bt Brinjal, low-calorie vegetables grown widely in India on two bodies in the public sector , The Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore (TNAU) and the University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad (UASD) .

The public sector institutions will not pay any royalties, as long as they do not have the marketing of genetically modified Brinjal. This is a very unusual, but very significant gesture.

Private seed companies, especially in the field of biotechnology, are not aware that free innovation shares information with public organisations. They keep this information under lock and key for fear of patent infringement. While this is understandable, but it has fueled hostility and suspicion among scientists in state institutions, particularly in developing countries.

Obviously, no company would be prepared to invest billions of dollars for the development of new seed varieties for an armchair scientists copy cat. But the need to protect proprietary information should not wish for the seed company cooperates with public institutions. This will deny the anti-biotech audience a chance to characterize biotech companies as selfish and secretive.

Mahyco has a good example that all biotech seed companies should follow. Biotech companies stand to benefit if they open their doors to other public institutions. This is particularly critical in Africa, where GM crops are still too large inroads.

It can not be gainsaid that such a partnership is already happening in Africa. In Kenya for example, the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI) is working closely with biotech seed companies in the development of genetically modified maize resistant to stem borers cells. But more such partnership is necessary to ensure the adoption of genetically modified crops in developing countries.

James uses his communication expertise to create awareness about GM food. To read more about him, go to http://www.gmoafrica.org

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