A genetically modified version of the baingan a.k.a brinjal a.k.a eggplant is at the center of a fascinating debate in India. [Time]
The brinjal in question is no ordinary vegetable: it’s full name is Bt brinjal, whose DNA scientists have fortified with a gene that kills a range of common pests. Its creators say the genetically modified vegetable will increase farm yields and bring a less pesticide-laden vegetable to Indian dining tables, where the fiery brinjal-laden baingan bharta enjoys cult status.
However, project baingan ran into a familiar buzzkill – politicians and babudom.
On Feb. 9, though, India’s environment minister Jairam Ramesh nixed the introduction of the Bt brinjal. Ramesh, who has come under huge public pressure to ban the genetically modified vegetable, said the scientific community was not agreed on the brinjal’s safety, that public opinion was against cultivation of the vegetable, and that there was “no overriding urgency or food security argument” for its introduction. He said further tests were required on the new variety, and said India needed to ramp up its genetic engineering regulatory mechanism.
While farmer’s lobbies and special interest groups seem to dictate the pace of scientific advances in agriculture in India, China has no such barriers where the government still dictates such measures. However, in doing so India is actually taking into consideration numerous factors such as long term environmental effects of such genetically modified crops. Will longer testing periods and a more controlled introduction prove more beneficial to India in the longer run? While we ponder on that, I’ll have another serving of baingan bharta please.
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