Pakistan
December 31, 2013

Source: PABIC

During the last couple of years, the country has been witnessing a vital campaign for the commercial introduction of genetically modified (GM) crops apparently to, what the advocates argue, get comparative more production. In this connection, a couple of international firms, with Monsanto having a leading role, are active to promote this impression. These companies are of the strong view that, since chances of food insecurity are potentially rising in Pakistan amid high population growth rate, the introduction of GM crops in the country has become a must to boost farm yields. Dr. Zabta Khan from Quaid-e-Azam University said that, we should focus on introducing GE crops as we need to jack up our national crop production as environment related negative changes like floods, water shortage and droughts expose the country to food insecurity. Dr. Anwar Naseem, Secretary Pakistan Academy of Sciences, was of the view that since GE crops introduction in many other states are yielding positive results, Pakistan at least should do effective trials keeping in view the comparative studies. However, on the other side, a large number of agriculture and environmental experts, particularly Dr. Ijaz Rao, a renowned farm practitioner from Bahawalpur, strongly oppose the GE crops introduction in Pakistan. They say that the laws regulatory authority has framed to ensure biosafety as well as environment protection have never been implemented. Scientists who are working to develop GE crops or who are engaged in evaluating the same are supposed to consider the information needed to assess potential adverse impacts to the environment in accordance with the appropriate legislation. Biosafety regulation in Pakistan faces many daunting challenges, including broad social and political disruption, poorly funded agriculture research infrastructure, difficulty in enforcement of existing and related regulations and the conflation of biosafety with other agriculture and socio-political concerns. However, there is a pressing need for a functional biosafety system in order to allow the development of beneficial agricultural technologies to meet the countries long term agri development needs.

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

Published: December 31, 2013