Technology Policy in GM Crops : The Role of Government

The School of Agribusiness Management,  Acharya N.G. Ranga Agricultural University (ANGRAU), Rajendranagar, Hyderabad, has organized one-day brainstorming session on Technology Policy on GM Crops: The Role of the Government on 01 June 2011 at ANGRAU’s Teachers’ Home, Boiguda (Hyderabad).  The principal objective of this important meeting was to  sensitize the need for a focused policy on GM crops, and explore the various dimensions of the state’s role in formulating such policy. This meeting was attended by eminent scientists, key government officials, representatives of media, and senior officials and scientists of Agricultural University (Appendix-I).

The key issues discussed at length are:  Is deployment strategy of GM crops scientific?  What should be the role of government on GM crops in the present scenario? Can the Government play a proactive regulatory role in promoting technology access at affordable price? How to protect the interest of the farmers and domestic  industry? What  are the guiding principles in fixing trait value / royalty on GM technology, if it is patented?

The main outcomes and recommendations of the meeting that are arrived at after detailed discussions and consensus among all participants.

1. At the outset, it was agreed that the future agriculture would be a science-driven.  Thus, technology development process should be strengthened both in public and private sector.  In particular, the public investment should be increased to state agricultural universities to face the competition from private sector in development of competitive biotech-based technologies for the modern agriculture.
2. State Government should strengthen core biotechnology research programme in potential crops such as cotton, rice, maize, sunflower, soyabean, vegetables, etc., by creating “core commodity based researchers team” with time-bond task and required resources and infrastructure in ANGRAU and APHU” for developing GM crop technologies of high market value.  This helps to create a healthy competition with private sector including MNCs and protect the interests of farmer, seed producers and domestic industry.
3. In view of the fact that the Gene Revolution of 21^st Century is largely in the domain of private sector-particularly MNCs while the Green Revolution of the 1960s and 70s was in the public domain, it was unanimously agreed that a proactive regulatory mechanism needs to be created at state level to monitor, and regulate quality of technology, pricing of technology (trait value / royalty)  and as a whole to ensure fair trade in gene market-provision of genes/traits of real economic value to seed industry at affordable trait value/royalty.
4. The present AP Cotton Seed Act 2007 should be amended by adding new clauses on royalty rates on patented technologies wherever such technologies are sold to industry. Royalty/trait value of the patented GM technology should always be declined over the period i.e., at initial period of technology introduction, it may be somewhat high, but as technology spreads in large area over the period, the rate of trait value/royalty should come down.  Such provisions and methods  are to be incorporated in AP cotton seed Act 2007 through necessary amendments.
5. As agriculture is a “State” subject in the Constitution of India, the state government should also explore possibility to bring-out a new act / law to regulate various aspects of GM crop technology application lncluding royalty rates / trait value on patent technologies related to agriculture. In general, trait value / royalty on patented technologies related to agriculture

should be about 5 to 15% for the maximum of ten years,  beyond which such technologies will be in the public domain.  Like-wise compulsory licensing provision should be incorporated n the act/law for accessing patented technologies by all interested stakeholders. Further there should be a provision for appointment of regulator for all matters of Bt / GM technologies in agriculture

1. The AP Seeds Development Corporation and/or Acharya N.G. Ranga Agricultural should apply for license to access presently available Bt technology from the technology provider, and use it for production of Bt-cotton hybrid seed of ANGRAU’s origin own hybrids.  Further, APSSDC / ANGRAU should supply such Bt-technologies to small seed industry to create a healthy competition in the market.
2. The APSSDC and / or ANGRAU should take-up hybrid seed production in non-Bt cotton hybrids / varieties which have a huge yield potential to cater the needs of the cotton farmers, and to preserve biodiversity.
3. State government should explore possibility to create a PPP model between ANGRAU and private sector for accelerating joint efforts to develop need-based GM crop technology for meeting farmers’ needs at affordable prices.

Source : Proceedings of the Brainstorming Session on Technology Policy in GM Crops: The Role of Government-  held at ANGRAU’s Teachers’ Home, Boiguda, Hyderabad.  (01 June 2011)