BIOTECHNOLOGY ENVIRONMENTAL BIOSAFETY

FIELD AGRICULTURE FOOD PRODUCTION

Dr. Ashok Kumar Panigrahi, Balasore.

Techniques questioned:

Genetical modification Agricultural Seeds- cotton, soya, maize, potato, rice trees forest.

Prologue

The encompassing macabre issue discussed world wide invasion science, ?biotechnology? virtually nook corner biosphere practically td bad science, ?thanotechnology? ey living element concern speeding rate total annihilation biosphere. little episode 1980, tt Supreme Court decision case, Diamond vrs. Chakrabarty, we ht court decided tt biological life legally patentable.

History

Anand Mohan Chakrabraty microbiologist employee Electric Company (GE) developed type bacteria tt ingest oil oil spills. GE rushed patent 1971 td dn life forms patentable. GE sued won. 1985 Patent Trademark Office (PTO) ruled Chakrabraty ruling extended plants, seeds plant tissues entire plant kingdom.

company W. R. Grace granted 50 patents Indian Neem tree included patenting indigenous knowledge medicinal Neem products (since bn leveled ?biopiracy?). 1988 PTO issued patent animal Harvard Professors, Philip Lader Timothy A. Stewart created transgenic mouse genes chicken human being. 1991, PTO granted patent human stem cells human genes. Biocyte awarded European patent umbilical cord cells fm foetuses born babies en wt permission ?donors?. European Patents Office (EPO) received applications fm Baylor University patenting women bn genetically altered produce GE proteins mammary glands.

Baylor University essentially sought monopoly rights human mammary glands manufacture pharmaceuticals. Attempts ao we me patent blood cells indigenous people Panama, Solomon Islands Papua Guinea. Wn decade ?Chakrabarty ruling? Supreme Court revolutionised research developments biotechnology involving microbes human bs wh led branded bad science, ?thanotechnology? following decade hated world wide. Biotech companies engaged biotech pharmaceuticals quickly moved agriculture, obtained patents seeds, buying seed companies, destroying seed stocks replacing wh GE seeds. lt decade companies he gained monopoly control sh seeds world wide soy, corn cotton ( ud processed foods cotton seed oil). result, nearly 2/3 rd. processed foods sd GM ingredient them.

However, wt labelings, concerned consumers aware sh pervasive food products biotech companies. Immediately companies kw tt aware citizen kept ay GM foods organized convince regulators require labelings. Somewhat shockingly bureaucratic risk evaluators td blind eye ill motives bio-tech companies.

The pt concern

All genetical modifications based recombinant DNA technology. society faced unprecedented ps history science, life earth. GE technology enables profit oriented biotech companies capacity redesign living organisms, products billion evolution. words Dr. George Wald, Nobel Laureate Medicine (1967), Higgins Professor Biology Harvard University, ?potentially breed animal plant diseases, sources cancer novel epidemics?.

On Record

In 1989, dozens Americans died or thousands we afflicted impaired owing ingestion genetically altered version food supplement ? tryptophan. settlement $ 2 billion paid Showa Denko, Japan?s 3rd. largest chemical company (Mayeno Gleich, 1994)

In 1996, pioneer Hi-Bred spliced Brazil nut genes soy beans. individuals allergic ts nut tt ty apoplectic shock wh cause death. Animal tests confirmed peril product soon removed market be fatalities occurred. words Marion Nestle, HOD Nutrition, York University, ?the ce ideal public fortunate. ?

In 1994 Food Drug Administration approved Monsanto’s r-BGH, GE growth hormone, injecting dairy cows enhance milk yield spite experts warning resultant increase IGF-1, potent chemical hormone, linked 400 ? 500 % risks human breast, prostrate colon cancer. According Dr. Samuel Epstein University Chicago, ? induces malignant transformation human breast epithelial cells. ? Studies Rats confirmed suspicion damage internal organs r-BGH ingestion. En FDA?s tests spleen mass increase 46%, se prelude ?leukemia?. argument substance damaged pasteurization nullified 2 Monsanto?s scientists, Ted Elasser Brian Mc Bride 19% hormone destroyed 30 minutes boiling (pasteurization takes 30 seconds). Inspite Canada, EU, Australia, Zealand en UN?s Codex Alimentarius refusing endorse GE hormone, se freely marketed Monsanto. tt 2 bureaucrats namely, Margaret Miller Micheal Taylor FDA helped Monsanto?s r-BGH pass risk factor barrier we earlier Monsanto employees.

Several GM products approved FDA involve herbicides tt commonly kn ?carcinogenic?, viz ? ?bromoxiny?l ud Bt. Cotton Monsanto’s ?round-up? Glufosinate ud GM soy, corn canola. Sharyn Martin, researcher, opined tt auto- immune diseases enhanced foreign DNA fragments ce wh food fy digested human stomach intestine. DNA fragments absorbed io blood stream mix normal DNA recombination are, hence, unpredictable. DNA fragments he GM soy or GM products available market.

The fear factor

Professor Joe Cummins, Professor Emeritus Genetics, University Western Ontario said, ? Virus resistant crops bg mainstay biotech industries. Te crops carry foreign virus genes wh genetically engineered empower plants resist virus attacks. Mt fruits, vegetables baby food marketed category. Lab. experiments shown ?the GE viral genes food potentially rise viruses ? deadlier viruses tt crops protected from?, alarming.

In 1986, reported GE plants TMV genes delayed development disease report od flood gates create resistance range or viruses. viral coat protein production GE crop ds block virus entering io plant cell rr transgene exposed nucleic acids viruses tt brought plant insect vectors. nr study results tt plant viruses acquire variety viral genes GE plants recombination.

For examples-

* Defective Red Color Mosaic Virus lacks gene enabling me cell cell he infectious ,but recombined copy gene GE Nicotina benthamiana plants, regenerated infectious RCMVirus.

* GE Brassica napus Nicotiana bigelovii containing ? gene- vi ?,

translational activator fm Cauliflower Mosaic Virus (CaMV) wh

recombined complementary pt virus missing gene, and

produced infectious virus GE plants.

* N. benthamiana expressing segment Cowpea Chlorotic Mottle Virus (CCMV) coat protein gene recombined frequently defective virus missing gene.

* N. benthamiana transformed 3 constructs containing coat protein coding sequence African Cassava Mosaic Virus (ACMV). transformed plants inoculated wh coat protein deletion mutant ACMV tt induces mild systemic symptoms control plants. Sl sh inoculated plants transgenic lines developed severe systemic symptoms typical ACMV confirming recombination occurred mutant viral DNA integrated construct DNA resulting production recombined viral progeny ? wild type ? virulency.

The CaMV recombination, we ?

CaMV 35 promoter gene, ubiquitous viral sequence transgenic (GM) plants ay commercially released market undergoing field trials. Ts gene GM plant producers be drives production gene messages fm genes inserted provide herbicide tolerance, insect- pest resistance, antibiotic resistance range or functions deemed improve commercial quality crop plant. absence ?promoter gene?, ?inserted gene? remains inactive, we presence gene activity maintained level plant tissues irrespective changing environmental conditions drastically affect activity ?promoters? native crop plant.

The 2 events wh occurred 1999 provoked Professor Cummins independent scientists draw global attention alarming industrial scientific maladies he disastrous consequences. ft Professor Cummins 1994 questioned environmental safety release CaMV 35 promoter gene GM plants. Experimental evidences available indicated frequency genetic recombination CaMV 35 promoter gene te or viruses. Wn recombinant CCMV recovered 3% transgenic N. benthamiana containing CCMV sequences, recombinant CaMV recovered 36% transgenic N. begelovii.

Event -1. Scientists John Innes Research Institute published paper sg CaMV 35 promoter recombination ?hot spot? meaning prone break reassociate or pieces genetic material, viruses.

Event- 2. Dr. Arpad Pusztai, senior scientist UK govt. funded Rowett Institute Scotland sacked job be revealed results feeding experiments suggesting tt transgenic potatoes we unsafe. lab. Rats fed wh GM food sd increased lymphocytes gut lining indicating damage intestine fm specific viral infection.

Scientists Mae- Wan Ho Angel Ryan published paper October 1999 issue Journal Microbial Ecology Health Disease warning CaMV 35 promoter interchangeable promoters or plant animal virus promiscuous functions efficiently plants, green algae, yeast E. coli. recombination hot spot flanked multiple motifs similar recombination hot spots Agrobacterium ?T DNA vector, commonly gene, transgenic plants. Ty claimed demonstrated lab. recombination viral transgenes infecting viruses.

In article published online journal European Food Research Technology (2006) authors ( Marit R. Myhre, et. al. ) claimed he constructed expression vectors wh CaMV 35 promoter inserted 2 ?reporter genes? encoding firefly luciferase green fluorescent protein (GFP), respectively performed transient transfection experiments human enterocyte ? le cell line, Caco – 2 CaMV 35 promoter genes drive expressions ?reporter genes? significant levels.

Super viruses

Promoter viral genes CaMV 35 mix or genes, viral, bacterial including te retrovirus HIV Hepatitis B. CaMV if para retrovirus. retro transposons available plant genomes (which mobile nature) host viruses wh CaMV 35 promoters, possibility super virus origin qe certain.

In Canadian study, plant infected Crippled Cucumber Mosaic Virus (CuMV) tt lacked gene movement bn plant cells, crippled CuMV be active tn 2 weeks ? evidence gene mixing, acquired nd activator fm surrounding ? evidence ? horizontal gene transfer ?.

The international Biosafety Protocol signed independent nations Montreal January 2000 wl continue me direction.

Threat Antibiotics plants

genetic implantation ?marker? track we gene goes cell. GM Maize plants ampicillin resistant gene. British Royal Society called banning marker threatens vital antibiotic?s use.

Resurgence Infectious diseases

?The Microbial Ecology Health Diseases? Journal reported 1998 genetic modifications food crops cause resurgence infectious diseases. cited cs resistance antibiotics, formation unknown viral strains, lowering body immunity altered food etc. drastic fallouts bioengineering wh genes. ao indicated occurrence horizontal gene transfer transgenic DNA bacteria. cited cs bacteria mouth, pharynx intestines taking transgenic (viral) DNA domestic animals tr food passed easily human bs th milk meat.

Increased food allergies

loss biodiversity food supply grown parallel increase food allergies. Mass studies indicate body cells immune reject excess ?homogeneity

food?. Monsanto’s analysis glyphosate ?resistant soya GM line contains 28% me Kuniz ? trypsin inhibitor, allergen nutrient inhibitor.

Lowered Nutrition

A study Dr. Marc. Lappe 1999 published ?Journal Medicinal Food? GM foods lower levels nutrients ? especially ?phyto estrogen? compounds wh protect body fm heart disease cancer. study consumption GM Vita Faba, bean soy family, caused increase estrogen levels. Ts alarming se ud baby food. Milk fm cows injected r-BGH (a GE growth hormone) contains substantially hr levels pus, bacteria fat cells.

Unnatural foods

Se Monsanto announced fd ?unexpected gene fragments? tr ?round-up ready? soybeans. kn tt modified proteins exits GE foods , proteins ingested humanity. FDAs? microbiologist Dr. Louis J. Pribyl 1992 warned pleiotropic (unintended and/or uncontrolled) effects occur GE plants frequencies exceeding 30 % unknown toxicants tr wh undesirable alterations levels nutrients wh mt escape breeders notice. FDA?s biotechnologist James Marayanski warned at lack consensus ag FDA?s scientists ?sameness? GM foods compared GM foods.

Environmental Impacts

Genetic modifications sought crop plants increase production reduce toxic agro chemicals. nothing

could fr truth. Professor David Ehrenfield, Professor Biology, Rutgers University rightly said, ? Wt decade fm GE crops are- increased sales agrochemicals production nutrient devoid hazardous food. ? Ontario(US) govt. study herbicide rise ly cultivation GM crops.

Soil toxicity

GM crop plants engineered resist types toxins sh herbicides pesticides etc. te chemicals sold se biotech companies he developed GE crop plants boost agrochemical product sales. Scientists R. J. Golburg predicted ago GM crops triple sale toxic agrochemicals fd correct. According Fish Wildlife Services, ?Monsanto’s spray chemical ?Round-out? (a herbicide) ay threatens 74 endangered species US. attacks plants? photosynthetic activities?. Malcolm Kane (former Head Food Safety Sainsbury’s chain Super markets) revealed govt. accommodate Monsanto, raised pesticide residue limits food form 6 ppm 20 ppm. According study report published University California, ?glyphosphate (the active principle ?round-up?) 3rd leading cause farm workers? illness. lt 14 persons died ingesting ?round-up?. ?

Soil-sterility pollution

Oregon, scientists GM bacterium, Klebsiella planticola, engineered breakdown agri wastes produce ethanol residual waste component compost material ? rendered soil sterile. eliminated essential soil nutrients nitrogen killed nitrogen capturing fungi. similar result GM bacteria, Rhizobium melitoli. Professor Guenther Stotzky York University se toxins eliminated Monarch butterflies released roots GM plants polluted soil wh lasted 18 months depressed soil microbial activity. Oregon study GM soil microbes killed wheat plants lab. added soil.

Loss seed sovereignty

Some time bk ?Time? magazine referred massive trend le seed corporations buy seed companies, destroying tr seed varieties replacing wh tr GM seeds patented control brands ? death birth?. GM seed companies additionally farmers sign contracts save seeds ? forfeiting tr sovereign rights seeds.

Super weeds

It shown tt GM Bt. endotoxins remain active soil 18 months (Marc Lappe Britt Bailey) transported wild plants creating super weeds tt resistant pests ? offsetting balance nature. Studies UK ( National Institute Agricultural Botany ) Denmark (Mikkelsen, 1996) growth super weeds nearby jt generation. UK studies ao super weeds resistant glufosinate ( herbicide). Ar study sd 20 times me genetic leakage wh GM plants horizontal gene transfer. French study sd GM canola cd transfer genes wild radishes. According ?New Scientists?, farmer Alberta, Canada, bn yr 1997 1999 planted 3 fields GM canola seeds produce 3 mutant weeds we resistant Monsanto’s ?Round-up?, Cyanamid?s ?Pursuit? Aventi?s ?Liberty?, patented herbicides.

GE super trees, loss biodiversity ecosystem collapse

GE super trees bg developed withstand hh doses herbicide sprays air kill surrounding life GE trees. trees flowering sterile. Monsanto’s super trees exude toxic chemicals fm leaves kill caterpillars visiting insect life. 2002 China planted millions ?poplar? super trees combat deforestation, creating monoculture forests. flowerless toxin oozing trees eliminating flying insects (bees butterflies included) reducing insect world booklice earwigs. plantation wild oy cause collapse forest ecosystem comprising fungi, insects, earthworms, birds mammals cause intensive genetic contamination th gene flow transgenes wild affect animal human health. reported ce study transgene flow transgene introgression cultivar wild (J. R. Reichman L. S. Watrud, Molecular Ecology, 2006) cited established existence transgenic plants wild Oregon, USA. involved glyphosate ? resistant ?creeping bent grass? (Agrostis stolonifera L. ) plants expressing CP4 EPSPS gene fm Agrobacterium spp. Strain CP4, conferring resistance herbicide glyphosate, transgenes agronomic habitats outside experimental test plots central Oregon study.

Super pests

Lab. tests indicate cotton bollworms, common plant pest getting resistant Bt. sprays . stink bug epidemic reported North Carolina Georgia suspected linked GE plants, loved pest. GE company Monsanto recommended spray deadliest chemical, ?Methyl parathion? control pest. Transgenic Bt. Cotton GE crops failed US, India ee mainly pest ps bs desired expected production failures. Bt. Cotton engineered kill pests le American bollworms, pink bollworms bud worms eliminating te pests? natural predators te pests super pests.

Killing beneficial insects

Several field studies GM products kill beneficial insects Monarch butterflies larvae (Cornell, 1999). Bt. Crops killed Lace wings wh natural predators cotton worms. Honey bees killed wn ty feed proteins GM canola flowers Bt. Cotton flowers.

Poisonous mammals

GM potatoes, spliced wh DNA Snowdrop plant wh viral promotor (CaMV 35 s) fd poisonous mammals (as rats) damaging vital organs immune systems. Scientist se he demanded GM products using CaMV ? 35 promotor gene wh drawn commercial production.

Genetic pollution

Some GM crops flowerless all. GM pollens carried wind, rain, birds, bees & or insects, fungus bacteria causesevere genetic pollution. Pollen fm GM canola, GE oilseed rape Bt. cotton meters pollute GM varieties wild varieties en species barriers causing horizontal gene transfer. postulated tt ubiquitous promotor, CaMV 35 s, ft enhance

horizontal gene transfer recombination.

A study 50% wild straw berries growing wn 50 meters GM straw berry acquired GM gene markers ar study 25-38% wild sunflowers grown close GM crop GM gene markers. Similar studies me Germany respect GE Oil seed rape Thailand wh respect Bt. Cotton confirmed American findings.

A study England tt GM planting contaminated wild honey

wh meant tt bees carried GM pollens organic plantings the

wild, sw transgenic elements them.

A revolution ? blue revolution? aquaculture growing rapidly in

commercial fishes salmons, trouts cat fishes genetically

modified grow fast size (up 39 X). will, turn, wipe their

cousins wild. regulation safety GM and

native/wild species biodiversity now.

Decline Destruction family farms land holders

In US, population engaged agriculture 60% 1850; 4% 1950 tn 2% now. 1935 we 7 million farms wh stands 2 million. similar declines he occurred ee world. remains tt family farms sl land holders produce me tn 60% foods. decline takes root GATT ? WTO regulations. economic strength legislative powers he bn tn agri corporations GATT ? WTO dominated world order. Promotion GM products food business agri corporations. nr native paddy varieties numbering ad sl thousands he lost India agri revolutions. world wipe 1,00,000 traditional vanilla farmers Madagascar Comoros Islands GM vanilla; lakh sugar cane farmers world th GE fructose. Sudan lost export gum arabic. modest estimate figure $ 14 billion synthetic substitutes natural farm products world. attempts grow food laboratories eliminating seeds, soil plants ts shifting task food productions farming communities GE laboratories.

Control dependency

Terminator Technology:-

GE seed companies ensured legislations tt farmers eligible save exchange patented seeds. fail farmers seed collection seed saving, ty he developed introduced technology, broadly called ?Terminator technology? ensure seeds rendered sterile harvest. Te seeds contain ?suicide? genes male female lines. male sterility caused gene (US patent no. 5,750,867 owned Aventis) fm bacterium Bacillus amyloliquefeciens called ?barnase? coding ribonuclease renders pollens ?dead? failing pollen cells undergoing meiosis halve tr chromosomes. Besides, pollen lethality gene expressed late development male flowers, pollen cells meiosis prevents pollens bg formed. female sterility gene (US patent no. 5,633,441 owned Aventis) linked selectable marker gene promoter, female sterile plants selected. terminator genes, barnase, include papain active protein, A- fragment diphtheria toxin, Marker genes include herbicide resistance gene, gene conferring disease pest resistance, GUS gene glucuronidase, gene encoding Bacillus thuringensis (Bt) endotoxin. major associated process genetic constructs tt te occurs lot gene scrambling integrated genetic engineers ct control integrations multiplications which, turn, wd multiply uncertainties unpredictabilities GM crops. genes currently GM crop productions recombinase terminator lethal genes harmful cells including mammalian cells. recombinase cause recombination non- specific sites causing scale genome scrambling (ISIS News 7/8 ). Besides, synthetic genes GM constructs spread horizontal gene transfer unrelated species controlled. Ts wl cause le scale destruction existing biodiversity evolved nature forces evolution.

Traitor technology:-

This patented bad technology released market modern agro corporations wh GM crops technologically controlled stages tr life cycles ? leaf, flower bear fruit – influence triggering chemicals. Thus, farmer forced te chemicals he/she yield harvest, pushing him/her deeper levels economic dependence debt.

Less diversity, quality, quantity profit

The misleading hope raised GM technology firms tt oy GM crops wl solve world?s hunger. World wide studies he proved doubt monoculture crop as ls yields acre compaired polyculture crops ? dt seeds interplanted rows, fence patches se area. study 8,200 field trials, Round ready soybeans produced fewer bushels soy tn GM cousin( Charles Benbrook, fr Director, Board Agriculture, National Academy Science). average yield GM soybeans 51. 21 bushels acre; GM variety 49. 26. an confirmed study University Nebraska?s Institute Agricultural Resources. Monsanto’s 5 strains soya planted 4 dt locations varied soil environments. Dr. Elmore tt average expensive GM seeds produced 6% GM varieties 11% yielding conventional crops. yield higher( Bt. Cotton field study US. ), cost seeds fertiliser reduced net profit substantially ts decreasing depleted cost-benefit(B:C) ratio further. agronomy, cost-benefit ratio it factor signifies farmer?s sustainability. decreasing B:C ratio indicates farmer?s declining economy; profit continue agriculture.

Fragility future agriculture:-

Loss agro biodiversity makes agriculture fragile. ce Irish potato famine 1840s glaring example importance crop diversity factor. Irish farmers cultivated varieties, Peruvian farmers thousands varieties diversity provided constant resource blight resistance potato crop. recent past similar situation arose Russia virulent strain ? potato late blight ? threatened Russian potato crop, broadly hg ability withstand harsh Russian winter. Citrus cancer blight threatened Florida?s $ 8. 5 billion citrus fruit industry 2000. Coca plants, mono cropped nearly identical, ao endangered international blight. Thus, destruction rr conservation crop diversity seed stocks GM agro corporations create dangerous situation me future agriculture extremely fragile.

More pesticides diminishing yields:-

Contrary tall claims GM companies field studies bt organic farming techniques ? using rich natural resources as produce resistant crops wh yields hr B:C ratios GM crops. GM crops, years, demanded 2 ? 5 times pounds biocides acre GM crop varieties ts leads drastical environmental deteriorations.

Economic, political social factor

Monopolisation food production:-

There approximately 1500 seed companies worlds wide dozen control 50% global commercial seed market. seed corporations buying seed companies using clandestinely tr market faith. 2000, 5 corporations controlled 40% soy seed market; 3 corporations controlled 90% corn seed market; 2 corporations controlled 75% cotton seed market company diminishing monopolistic market control increasing. Competing at GATT- WTO norms farming families diminishing abruptly ao net annual farm income. Average annual income fm sl family farms US/ Europe plummeted lt decade rendering families survive poverty level.

Impact food dependency:-

When food production monopolised, future supply dependent decisions companies tr effective seed stocks. crop diversity waning ? lost developed world process td world countries et pockets ? le Peruvian potatoes Indian paddy varieties, world. Food scientists indicate tt indigenous territories fr disturbed biotech’s advances, term vitality world?s food supply lost ever.

Leading Agro Biotech Corporations & tr Agribusiness,1999.

Corporations Total

Sales Agribusiness Sales Seed

Production Ranking (global) Agro-

Chemical Sales Ranking (global) Pharmaceutical

Sales (their

Original business. ) Research &

Development Investments

A. ?Life Science? (involved mainly genetic modification various crop

plants)

Aventis $20. 5 billion $4. 6 billion n/a 1 $13. 9 billion $3 billion

Novartis

(Syngenta) $20. 3 billion $4. 4 billion 3 2 $9. 8 billion $2. 2 billion

Monsanto(98) $8. 6 billion $4 billion 2 3 $2. 8 billion $1. 3 billion

Astra Zeneca

(Syngenta) $18. 4 billion $2. 7 billion 6 5 $14. 8 billion $2. 9 billion

B. ?Industrial Science? (involved mainly production various

agrochemicals)

Bayer $27 billion $3. 1 billion n/a 6 $5 billion $2. 1 billion

DuPont $26. 9 billion $3 billion 1 4 $1. 6 billion $1. 6 billion

Dow $18. 9 billion $2. 3 billion —— 8 —— $0. 85 billion

BASF $29. 5 billion $1. 7 billion —— 9 $2. 5 billion $1. 3 billion

Biocolonisation:-

Colonisation past th technologically superior armies. nt weapon hands superpowers biological GM seed. Wn person loses food sufficiency gs entangled food dependency. 5,00,000 alert Indian farmers staged protest at GATT 1993 opposing GM seeds , GM agro products. Recently European communities launched Slow food movement fast growing global movement essentially aimed curbing GM crops save diminishing biodiversity and

indigenous knowledge farming techniques, biodiversity based organic farming.

Dependency slavery:-

The regulations he th world orders, GATT ? WTO etc. , autonomy local economies wholly overridden. Foreign companies buy local companies, seeds, water, land natural resources, converting exported cash, pushing local economies dependency slavery.

Where future lead to?

Long ago philosopher Descartes postulated tt space universally

or infinitely separated. ago Einstein devised famous formula, =mc2, led annihilation 2 Japanese cities tt brought end to 2nd world war. time genetic engineering gene splicing, recombinant DNA technology, introduction foreign DNAs ? promoters markers ? genetic modification life forms ? betterment mankind using thanotechnology mg bad money. Global sense prevailed destroy restrict nuclear weapons oe owned 2 super powers. insanity spreading fast form recombinant DNA technology applications living world threatening existence. Cartesian approach form?

Is safe sorry ?

In response rapid developments genetic engineering

applications life forms, Cartagena Protocol Biosafety negotiated entered io force fm September, 2003. Protocol

sets regime governing international movement GMOs wh the

aim protect global biodiversity adverse effects GMOs. The

WTO covers trade GMOs, dt aim i. e. , prevent

limitations free movement GMOs. Thus, Protocol sense

clash WTO. Hence, harmonisation agreements highly

desirable. suggestion Protocol ud WTO as

evidence internationally accepted standards relation GMOs. is

unlikely WTO accept sh proposal. te solution?

By 1999, at 28 million hectares GE crop plantations world wide ur claim ty pest, disease resistant wd provide food world hunger.

The opinion tt sh crops we released eh tests questioned lg term safety respect human environment.

Governments world dilemma, allow allow it, decision ly heavily influenced bureaucrats view lack adequate scientific consensus issue threat biological world.

Based convention Biodiversity, Cartagena Protocol entered io force 11 September, 2003 set regime dealt wh international movement living modified organisms (LMOs) wh included GMOs organisms created cell fusion taxonomic categories ? accordance wh precautionary principles.

The Protocol applies 2 categories LMOs:-

1. LMOs intended release io environment sh fish, plants and

seeds etc. covered operational sections.

2. LMOs intended food feed processing sh cornflakes,

soya milk etc.

All LMOs pharmaceuticals humans excluded Protocol,

which objected European Union vetoed ts objection.

Under Protocol, trade LMOs parties ( ) carried manner parties.

Articles 7 ? 12 Protocol, Advance Informed Agreement (AIA) described backbone requires exporting country obtain consent importing country shipping living LMOs time informing national authority. importing country acknowledge receipt notification decide accept shipment cn period time. Protocol, risk assessment mt carried decisions relation acceptance LMO shipments. party accept shipment condition, prohibit import request additional information exporter. addition Protocol establishes ?Biosafety clearing house? importing country mt inform decision import particular LMO wn 270 days original notification. However, ur Protocol failure notify ds imply consent.

The th party Protocol exerted considerable influence scope Protocol participating negotiations. intentions ensure Protocol limited effect possible, or protect biotech industry. primary objective Protocol subordinate WTO rules international trade GMOs wd disrupted.

Consequent un involvement, 135 mr countries soon be divided 2 viz. ? Minded Group? my developing countries Argentine, Chile Uruguay ?Miami Group?comprising countries le Australia, Argentina, Chile, Uruguay U. S. ,the GMO exporting importing countries. Miami favoured weak Protocol disrupt international trade GMOs.

The continually sought he issue trade GMOs shifted WTO?s mandate. lack support fm EU forced WTO decline addressing GMO issue which, turn, lent weight Protocol.

Under insistence draft Protocol included ?savings clause? ?preamble? ?operative part? reference 2nd paragraph ignoring 3rd paragraph claims treaty ds alter rights obligations governments rules WTO.

Any conflict Protocol WTO wd referred WTO Disputes Panel Dispute signed environment agreement (as US). example India, acting consistently Protocol banned import GMOs US, conflict WTO Disputes panel claiming India breached WTO rules ce result wl predicted Dispute body?s role interpret WTO agreement Protocol.

Hence, question ? br safe tn sorry? answer be, ?sorry, late?. mid globalization. he decided fate legislations policy decisions fm wh ps backtrack. he eh biodiversity he sustain matter cost.