Pakistan
March 10, 2012

Technical Advisory Committee of the National Bio-Safety Committee (NBC) has allowed biotech giant Monsanto for a field trial of its Bacillus Thuringiensis (BT) corn. BT corn can be successful on large land holdings elsewhere, but it will adversely affect the smaller land holdings in Pakistan.

“Those farmers who do not endorse genetically modified crops may not survive, and their crops may be contaminated with GMO pollen. Such farmers cannot save their seeds for the following season as BT corn design inhibits seed germination. Such farmers may also ultimately face law suits for ‘stealing’ the technology, he added. More than two-third farmers in Pakistan save their own seed for coming year’s crop.

“The NBC should work out a mechanism to compel the company to compensate farmers whose corn they will contaminate,” the official said. He added that there are even questions like pollen from BT crops contaminating honey produced in those areas. He said that if the company wanted a public guarantee for cotton, it should be bound to give guarantees to poor corn farmers before allowing the commercialisation of GMO corn in the country. The first GM crop planted by Monsanto in Pakistan was cotton, in 2010.

“Agricultural and environmental research is something which always requires local testing to validate domestic performance,” the officials points out. A senior official of National Agricultural Research Council (NARC) said that “yes, we have no independent research facilities, but our team is collaborating with Monsanto and Pioneer Companies to investigate health hazards for humans and animals.”

He said that these companies had invested billion of rupees and set up research laboratories, whereas the government had not released funds to NARC for the past seven months.

He said that the department was working to complete research before the commercialisation of BT corn in Pakistan.

Website: http://www.pabic.com.pk

Published: March 12, 2012