Although corn has done wonders for Iowa’s economy, the implemention of GM practices has had adverse effects on the environment and small farmers. Mass production of corn and lack of crop rotation have caused uncontrollable run off into our fresh water, making it difficult to keep our drinking water quality high. Due to increased prices for GM seeds and their companion chemicals, small farmers have been unable to compete with the large corporate farms. Many family farms have had to shut down and sell off their land to larger operations.

I can imagine that India may see similar effects if it opens its doors to GM seeds. Food production will increase, boosting the economy and helping to feed the booming population. However, GM food production is a business for the big corporations, leaving little room for the small farmers to compete. Although there will be more food to feed the poor, the corporate overhaul of the farming industry will certainly widen the gap even further between the wealthy and the poor. It is hard to predict what will happen to the environment and the ecosystem, but research has shown that GM crops may result in adverse effects that no nation would have ever bargained for.

Maybe it is not always best to “follow the leader”. Although GM crops have boosted the United States’ agriculture business, it may prove to severely hurt us in the future. I understand the pressure on India to compete and feed its growing population, but we do not know all the effects of GM foods, so it is a risk that could have harsh unforeseen consequences.

As a business question I find this interesting from two different points. From one perspective, the lack of government regulation is the only thing which efficiently and consistently stimulates the economy, and if there is proper demand for the product, then the market must allow it. The way around this is to educate the population, and establish cheaper non-GM alternatives. For a “social cause” to take hold it needs to have solid economics.

Secondly, the issue with patent litigation is simply another example of the over litigious nature of our society. Whether it’s personal injury, malpractice, or other lawsuits, our courts are cluttered with such cases. How much longer does it take for people to establish new patents because of companies like this challenging every competitor (no matter how harmless) in a patent violation suit? (I’m looking at you too Apple.) This is a trend that needs to stop.

This is a fascinating topic. The necessity for more food in countries like India certainly presents a legitimate argument for the implementation of GM crops.

Currently, China is dealing with a similar scenario, and heavily investing in GM food research. The Chinese have taken the initiative to pursue this new technology while India is still sitting on the fence. Last year, China increased its production of GM rice, soybeans, and corn, in addition to maintaining its GM cotton and vegetable yield.

One major concern I have for genetically modified crops is their potential hazard on a farm’s surrounding environment, or potential detriments to humans, such as allergies or other adverse reactions. Does anyone know if the crops China has invested in (or the ones India is considering) have been shown to affect surrounding ecosystems or humans who have consumed the GM crops? Is India considering any future methods to regulate genetic modifications in foods?

With the help of Google I came across a paper titled, “Genetically Modified Crops in India”, written by two Indian Biotechnology Engineering students from Delhi. The paper is a good synopsis of GM seed production and the potential pros and cons. There do seem to be a couple of contradictions in the paper, but it is good anyway. If you are like me and do not know much about GM plants I suggest taking a look at this paper in addition to the article listed in this blog- http://paraschopra.com/publications/gm.pdf .

Based on my limited knowledge about GM crops, I believe there is a potential significant risk to Indian culture and food supply. These risks may include the destruction or unintentional modification of other plants by way of contamination from GM plants. This includes contamination that prompts GM corporations to claim patent infringement on innocent farmers.

Also, as in the example in the paper above, GM crops are not guaranteed to produce and some may fail overtime causing a widespread collapse of farm production throughout India. This would devastate farmers and negatively impact the food supply in the country. These and other potential risks need to be addressed.

I am not sure how India will integrate GM crops into their current agriculture or if they will adopt GM crops in large scale. Based on the protests and uprising against GM plants in India, I believe that farmers and other agricultural decision makers will be compelled to at least consider the risks of adopting GM crops. I don’t know what the right choice for India is, but I hope someone figures it out before any irreversible mistakes are made.