From the Green Revolution to the Gene Revolution, Indian agriculture has come a long way in the past four decades. Since the mid-Sixties, high-yielding seeds, increased use of fertilizers, and new modes of irrigation have boosted India’s self-sufficiency in foodgrains. However, the scope of Norman Borlaug’s rich legacy has been considerably curbed over the years. Overpopulation, farmer suicides, droughts, crop failure, inflation — grim words have blighted the self-assurance with which India has approached the question of food security since the Seventies. So, it is propitious that the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee has allowed the cultivation of a genetically-modified brinjal, making it India’s first-ever GM food crop meant for commercial production. This may be a pathbreaking moment for Indian science, but such crops have been around in Western markets since the Nineties. Although the introduction of GM food has been shrouded in a cloud of controversies, its benefits are tangible: reduction of pesticides, conservation of water and soil, and a better chance of a successful harvest are some of the reasons why farmers might find GM seeds invaluable.

However, there are concerns over both the feasibility and the desirability of making GM food a part of the Indian economy. Not only does it involve a more expensive mode of production than traditional farming, it is also believed to cause health risks. Environmentalists allege that GM crops are capable of increasing allergens, antibiotic resistance and deposition of toxins in their consumers. Even the World Health Organization agrees on the need to standardize methods of assessing the safety and nutritional aspects of GM food. True, the GEAC recommendation comes after a thorough quality-check. GM brinjal has also been tested across the country to determine its performance under different conditions. Millions of North Americans have been living in the pink of health after eating GM papaya, soyabean and corn for years now. So perhaps there is not enough reason to raise an alarm just yet, especially since genetic engineering is based on precise calculations aimed at desired results, not random tinkering with genes. However, the government should continue its surveillance of the quality of GM crops, and allow labels to be put on GM food sold in the open market. That would give sceptics a fair choice.