Coalition calls upon citizens and experts to participate in large numbers in the public consultations ordered by the Hon’ble Court for a national policy to be formulated Asks for State Governments to participate and present their position keeping public interest and precautionary principle in mind Says that concerned citizens of India await for the larger […]
Dismal picture of cotton in Madhya Pradesh in the past decade
A report released by Beej Swaraj Abhiyan and Hamara Beej Abhiyan in Madhya Pradesh on March 31st 2012, also including data from a primary survey taken up in 2012, to look at the comparative performance of Bt cotton with a set of sample farmers in Kharif 2011 as compared to their experiences in Kharif 2011, […]
Bt cotton hype in Karnataka exposed
A report released on the occasion of a one-day workshop called “10 years of Bt cotton in Karnataka: Whither other cotton?”, with partial support from the Karnataka State Biodiversity Board on March 29th 2012 is available here. This report exposes the reality of fluctuating yields of cotton in the state, increasing use of chemical pesticides […]
10 years of Bt Cotton – False Hype and Failed Promises Exposed
The false hype and failed promises of Bt cotton in India were exposed by the Coalition for GM-Free India with a special report released in a press conference here today. As the 10th anniversary of Bt cotton’s regulatory approval in India approaches, the Coalition, using data from government institutions, highlighted that the hype around Bt […]
(Rajasthan) Government bans GM trials, to burn standing crop
The Rajasthan government has put on hold all trials of genetically modified (GM) crops in the state. In an order dated 13 March, the Principal Secretary, Agriculture, government of Rajasthan stated “..no trials of GM crops should be conducted in the State until final decision in this matter is taken.” “The issue (of permitting trials […]
New report damns India’s GM crop regulation
An explosive new report on the safety asseessment of Bt brinjal (eggplant/aubergine) by Prof. Jack Heinemann has been submitted to India’s Minister of Environment and Forests. Its findings suggest the regulation and official expertise brought to bear on GM crops are either grossly incompetent… or worse. Latha Jishnu’s article below spells out the details. Aruna […]
PM’s statement a purposive attempt to prevent a healthy debate on GM crops in India
Prime Ministers Statement – Is a purposive attempt to prevent a healthy debate on GM crops in India It reeks of an inherent disrespect for science and democracy 27th February 2012: The Coalition for a GM-Free India is outraged by the statement made by the Prime Minister Sri.Manmohan Singh on foreign-funded NGOs as being the […]
Feb 9th is National Safe Food Day !!
Coalition for a GM-Free India celebrates Feb 9th as National Safe Food Day New Delhi: February 9, 2012: On the second anniversary of the decision taken by the then Minister for Environment & Forests to declare a moratorium on Bt brinjal, the Coalition for a GM-Free India has decided to mark and celebrate February 9th […]
Monsanto OFFICIALLY caught in illegal planting of GM maize in UAS Dharwad
“BLACKLIST MONSANTO IMMEDIATELY : MNC CAUGHT VIOLATING BIOSAFETY NORMS YET AGAIN IN GM MAIZE TRIAL, THIS TIME OFFICIALLY” New Delhi/Bengaluru, February 6th 2012: Ahead of a regulators’ meeting on February 8th 2012, and reacting to the confirmed reports of Monsanto’s illegal planting of Herbicide Tolerant (HT) maize in its GM maize trial, the Coalition for […]
Sharad Pawar reiterates State Govts authority….
In a letter to the Chattisgarh Agriculture Minister Mr Chandrasekhar Sahu, Sharad Pawar, Union Agriculture Minister reiterates that if the state government does not agree for conduct of any GM crop field trials in the State, no approvals would be accorded by GEAC for such trials (However, this is not quite the case now since […]
India’s ‘public sector indigenous Bt cotton’ a scientific fraud!
Coalition for a GM-Free India demands immediate stopping of all public sector transgenic research and an independent enquiry and action against fraudulent scientists. 2011 ends with a big blot to the Indian scientific community, as was the case in 2010 too. The much-hyped public sector Bt cotton lines (Bikaneri Narma Bt variety and NHH-44 Bt […]
Hyped Desi Cotton has Monsanto gene!
India’s claim of having developed its own Bt cotton (genetically modified) variety has taken an embarrassing turn with an RTI inquiry by two scientists revealing how the University of Agriculture Sciences (UAS) at Dharwad went ahead — brushing aside all precautions — to produce an indigenous variety working on a gene originally patented by Monsanto. […]
Scientific Fraud: Misconduct by UAS-Dharwad in the name of Bt cotton
In the name of Bt cotton production, spurious act of developing Bt cotton A misconduct in the name of developing Bt Cotton, by University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad came to the notice of Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR). In the last eight years, as the Bt cotton seed prices were increasing, agriculture researchers, knowledgeable […]
Cotton yield may fall to 5-year low
Right from the beginning, it has been seen that in good years, when the yields are good, industry gives credit to Bt cotton; in bad years, blame it on the rain! Cotton yield may fall to 5-yr low The cotton revolution through Bacillus Thuringiensis, popularly known as Bt, has been losing its sheen gradually over […]
Chattisgarh will not allow GM crops
Chhattisgarh will not allow GM crops Author(s): Jyotika Sood Issue: Oct 31, 2011 Chandrasekhar Sahu, agriculture minister of Chhattisgarh, is passionate about making farming a viable proposition for farmers. He has written several books on the subject and is a frequent contributor to environmental journals. Talking to Jyotika Sood, he says the challenges in a […]