Originally published December 3 2014
Biotech smugglers, frustrated with safety regulations, contaminate India's agriculture with GMOs
by L.J. Devon, Staff Writer
(NaturalNews) The rush is on to efficiently feed growing populations around the world, and agriculture is currently undergoing drastic changes and shifts across the globe. For some, agricultural production is already collapsing, as crops continuously fail to ward off diseases and keep pests at bay. As the struggle ensues, farmers have resorted to mass application pesticides, but years of pesticide use has exacerbated the problem, as the pests relentlessly evolve to destroy the crops regardless of the chemicals. The reactionary response by farmers today is to spray the crops with more chemicals, but this practice only suppresses the crops natural immune system capability, depleting soil microbes and nutrition levels the plants depend on. Over time the plants become sicker - unable to ward off pests using their inherent pest control mechanisms.
Quick fix GMO agriculture doesn't address underlying problems
Scientists have tried to address the problem, genetically modifying seeds with genes from outside sources, like bacteria. These germ genes are inserted into crop DNA to give the plant new powers. For the Bt brinjal seed, scientists are empowering the plant to produce its own internal insecticide. The Bt gene, taken from the germ, Bacillus thuringiensis, provides the plant with over a hundred toxic proteins that enable the plant to ward off pests unnaturally from the inside out. The lab work splice is often quickly approved, patented as the next seed science, but is rarely studied for ecological and long term human health safety.
In 2014, the first variants of Bt brinjal (eggplant) were introduced into Bangladesh to help farmers use less pesticides and increase blemish-free yields. Whether the science appears to be working or not, it's quietly destroying the natural diversity of brinjal seeds in the region. Now Bangladesh farmers are coerced into purchasing seed from one of only four GMO types. The first BT Brinjal variety is called Uttara and it is specifically designed for the Rajshah region of Bangladesh. The second variety, Kajla was set aside for the Barisal region of the country. The third, Nayantara was designated for Rangpur, and the fourth, Iswardi was reserved for the Pabna and Chittagong regions of Bangladesh.
The soil is trampled on and depleted by a monopolistic seed science that disregards plant's individual needs
In one sense, agriculture is collapsing in Bangladesh as seed sovereignty and diversity is lost while corporations rush to genetically perfect nature for this moment in history. Will these shortcut arrangements in plant DNA elicit new health problems in the population? The answer is already showing up in the evidence of poor immune system health in humans today. Instead of fixing soil nutrient deficiencies to allow crops to naturally repel disease and pests; modern day science has instead created a shortcut of genetic modification that disregards individual plant/soil nutrition needs. More blemish-free food might be produced with GMO seeds, but this method will certainly not provide a balanced variety nutrition needed to sustain a healthy population.
On top of that, seed science has become a monopoly of control over agriculture. By not determining a crop's individual needs, by disregarding balanced soil microbiology, modern day monoculture has led humanity on a collision course, feeding itself nutrition-less food that keeps human's immune systems suppressed. In this model of agriculture, disease is more likely to overtake the population. The emergence of new viral outbreaks, like Ebola, is a sure sign that genetically modified monoculture is not serving the true cellular needs of the people. The more this monoculture is used as a band aid, the more the people suffer, eating crops that aren't grown to their full nutrition potential. They may look good on the outside, but are they absorbing all the nutrients necessary to sustain life on Earth?
India being "infiltrated" with GMOs before proper safety tests are conducted
According to watchdog group, GM-watch, the Bt seeds unleashed in Bangladesh in early 2014 are now being infiltrated into West Bengal, subjecting India's agriculture to the untested and controversial Bt toxins. The government of West Bengal reported that the country's agriculture is potentially being "infiltrated" by the commercialization of the new Bt Brinjal seeds. Agriculture advisor Pradeep Majumdar hinted at the possiblity, "Commercial seeds may have infiltrated... they might have been smuggled in. We have to ascertain the various effects of Bt-Brinjal on local indigenous species before taking any step else farmers will suffer."
Bengal's State Agricultural Minister Purnendu Bose confirmed that his department has no immediate plans of starting field trials. He told reporters, "We have heard that in Bengal districts bordering Bangladesh, seeds of Bt-Brinjal have been found. We will not introduce GMs now and definitely not without proper study."
A deep level of caution and safety analysis should be conducted on all field trials of genetically altered crops. Not only that, but everyone should start to question this band aid approach to agriculture and how its end product may be quietly suppressing human health and potential. It's apparent that these GMO crops aren't absorbing the proper and diverse levels of nutrition from the soil. After all, why isn't this being studied? How hard could it be for these scientists to look into this deeply concerning matter before unleashing their "seed science?"
Sources:
http://www.gmwatch.org
http://www.isaaa.org
http://www.gmwatch.org
http://www.business-standard.com
http://truthwiki.org/Genetically_modified_crops
http://truthwiki.org/GMO_Dangers,_opinion
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