Q."Genetically modified crops are not a panacea for all agricultural challenges but can serve as an important component of a broader agricultural...
Question
Q."Genetically modified crops are not a panacea for all agricultural challenges but can serve as an important component of a broader agricultural strategy". Critically examine (15 marks 250 Words)
Model Answer
Q. "Genetically modified crops are not a panacea for all agricultural challenges but can serve as an important component of a broader agricultural strategy". Critically examine (15 marks 250 Words)
Paper
GS III
Subject
Science & Technology
Syllabus as Per Notification
Science and Technology - Developments and their Applications and Effects in Everyday Life.
Topic
Genetically Modified (GM) Crops - Opportunities, Challenges
Approach:
Introduction
Introduce by defining GM Crops
Body
Explain how GM Crops are an Important Component of Agricultural Strategy
Enhancing Agricultural Productivity and Resource Efficiency, Strengthening Climate Resilience, Promoting Sustainable and Precision Agriculture, Improving Food, Nutrition and Oilseed Security and Driving Technological Innovation and Future-Ready Agriculture.
Why GM Crops Are Not a Panacea?
Agricultural Productivity Depends More on Agronomy than Genetics, Degraded Soil Health, Bt Cotton Experience Demonstrates the Limits of Technological Fixes, Ecological Risks and Regulatory and Governance Challenges.
Way Forward
Adopting Science-Based Regulatory Framework, Integrating GM Crops with Sustainable Agronomic Practices, Promoting Diversified and Climate-Smart Farming Systems and Strengthening Public Awareness and Farmer Capacity.
Conclusion
Conclude by emphasising that GM crops are an enabling technology and its potential can be realised only when integrated with sustainable agronomy to achieve Viksit Bharat 2047-ready agricultural sector.
Context
Despite near-universal Bt cotton adoption, India's cotton productivity has stagnated at around 440 kg/ha
Introduction
Genetically Modified (GM) crops are plants whose DNA is altered through recombinant DNA technology or gene editing to express desirable traits such as insect resistance, herbicide tolerance, disease resistance or enhanced nutrition. India approved Bt Cotton in 2002, while the debate around DMH-11 (Mustard) reflects broader challenge of balancing technological innovation with ecological sustainability and farmers' welfare.
Body
GM Crops are an Important Component of Agricultural Strategy
Enhancing Agricultural Productivity and Resource Efficiency
GM crops reduce yield losses caused by insects, viruses and fungal diseases, thereby improving productivity under biotic stress.
Emerging GM traits also enhance nitrogen-use and water-use efficiency, reducing input costs and improving sustainability.
Example: Cry proteins in Bt Cotton significantly reduced American bollworm damage.
Strengthening Climate Resilience
Gene-edited crops are increasingly being deployed to strengthen climate resilience, including El Nino-induced drought tolerance.
Example: ICAR released DRR Dhan 100 (Kamala) and Pusa DST Rice 1, engineered using CRISPR-Cas technology to tolerate drought and salinity while maintaining high yields.
Promoting Sustainable and Precision Agriculture
Their integration with precision agriculture (AI advisories, drones, precision irrigation and sensor-based nutrient management) enhances input-use efficiency.
Example:Telangana's AI-enabled cotton advisory system (2025) integrates Bt cotton cultivation with precision irrigation practices.
Improving Food, Nutrition and Oilseed Security
GM technology enables bio-fortification, helping to address micronutrient deficiencies through nutrient-rich crop varieties and it can also improve productivity of strategic oilseed crops.
As per WHO 2025 report, Golden Rice has demonstrated significant reductions in Vitamin A deficiency among children in field trials.
DMH-11, developed by Centre for Genetic Manipulation of Crop Plants (CGMCP), University of Delhi has the potential to improve mustard yields by 25–30%.
Driving Technological Innovation and Future-Ready Agriculture
GM crops, together with gene editing (CRISPR) and modern biotechnology, accelerate the development of climate-resilient, nutrient-efficient and pest-resistant crop varieties.
They complement conventional breeding and strengthen India's long-term agricultural competitiveness through science-led innovation.
Why GM Crops Are Not a Panacea?
Agricultural Productivity Depends More on Agronomy than Genetics
GM traits such as BG II protect crops from pests but do not directly enhance yield potential.
Sustained productivity depends on soil fertility, irrigation, balanced nutrient management, quality seeds and scientific crop husbandry.
ICAR's Natural Resource Management Division emphasizes integrated soil, water and nutrient management alongside improved seed technologies.
Degraded Soil Health
Declining soil organic carbon (0.3–0.6% in many Indian croplands), nutrient depletion and loss of soil biodiversity constrain crop performance.
Example: Cotton-growing regions of Rajasthan, Gujarat and Maharashtra face severe soil degradation, underscoring the need for soil restoration alongside biotechnology.
Bt Cotton Experience Demonstrates the Limits of Technological Fixes
Despite near-universal Bt cotton adoption, India's cotton productivity has stagnated at around 440 kg/ha, far below China and Australia (>2,300 kg/ha).
China achieved higher yields with the same Bt technology through superior agronomic practices, while Turkey improved cotton yields by nearly 25% (2010–2020) without cultivating GM cotton.
Ecological Risks
Continuous exposure has led to pink bollworm resistance, forcing farmers to resume pesticide application.
Herbicide-tolerant crops may encourage excessive herbicide use, leading to herbicide-resistant weeds (Super Weeds), biodiversity loss and pollinator decline.
Examples: Rising pink bollworm resistance in Maharashtra and Glyphosate-resistant weeds in the United States.
Way Forward
Adopting Science-Based Regulatory Framework
Strengthening biosafety assessment, post-release monitoring and public consultation to ensure safe and evidence-based adoption of GM crops while enhancing public trust.
Precautionary Principle under Cartagena Protocol requires countries to conduct risk assessments before GMO import or release, ensuring biodiversity protection.
Integrating GM Crops with Sustainable Agronomic Practices
Promoting GM technology alongside soil health restoration, Integrated Pest Management (IPM), precision irrigation and conservation agriculture, as genetics alone cannot sustain productivity.
Example: The Mission for Cotton Productivity (2026–31) aims to raise cotton yields to 755 kg/ha, while recognising that GM traits must be complemented by improved agronomy.
Promoting Diversified and Climate-Smart Farming Systems
Integrate GM crops with crop diversification, agroforestry, crop rotation and climate-smart agriculture to improve resilience and enhance farmer’s income.
Promoting convergence with the National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA) to scale up climate-resilient farming systems.
Strengthening Public Awareness and Farmer Capacity
Extension services should educate farmers on both the benefits and limitations of GM crops, ensuring they are adopted as part of broader strategy rather than as a standalone solution.
Example: Farmer Field Schools under ICAR’s National Agricultural Innovation Fund integrate modules on GM crops, Integrated Pest Management (IPM), and soil health practices.
Conclusion
GM crops should be viewed as enabling technology rather than standalone solution to agricultural challenges. Their true potential lies in complementing healthy soils, climate-smart agronomy and robust regulatory frameworks. With initiatives such as Mission for Cotton Productivity (2026–31) and increasing emphasis on gene-editing under the BioE3 Policy, India aims to harness biotechnology responsibly to build a productive, climate-resilient agriculture, aligned with the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.