Bangladesh entered the GMO era as the 29th GM crop-producing country in 2014 with the release of four Bt brinjal varieties. Ten years later, the release of two more Bt cotton varieties in 2023 secured Bangladesh’s position in the GMO world. So far 46 countries have official approval for at least one GM crop. However, the introduction of GM crops is categorically critical for Bangladesh – a country with intensive cultivation, diversified cropping systems, and unique agro-ecological characteristics. Smallholding farming, mixed and relay cropping and diversified cropping arrangements at a location are important issues to consider before introducing a new GM crop variety. However, to achieve the food security goal with low emissions of carbon dioxide GM technology, and precision farming, data-driven management practices are now a reality for Bangladesh.

Noble laureate British molecular biologist Sir Richard J Roberts recently highlighted the positive prospect of genetically engineered crops to achieve the SDG goals. He criticized media and civil society propaganda against GM crops. He urged the media to present scientific facts, not fiction. Safe and judicious application of GM technology could bring about a revolution in food security and carbon offset, he said. He mentioned some positive examples of recently approved GM crops; golden rice approved in the Philippines, Bt brinjal in Bangladesh, Bt cotton in many countries, Bt corn in many countries, GMO mustard in India, Bt cowpea in Nigeria, and Rainbow papaya in the USA. Biotech crops under development are bananas in Kenya and Uganda, casava in Kenya, drought-resistant wheat in many countries, more nutritious tomatoes in Japan, high-yielding Alfalfa in Argentina, herbicide-tolerant rape seed in China and many more. Many countries have relaxed regulations for gene-edited crops.

Bangladesh is the first country to cultivate genetically modified food crops in South Asia. In South Asia, India, Pakistan, and Myanmar have been growing GM products – cotton – for many years but Bangladesh is the first country to introduce a GM food crop to date. The genetically modified Bt brinjal has been developed by inserting a crystal protein gene (Cry1Ac) from the soil bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis into the genome of various brinjal cultivars thereby, protecting the crop from infestation of Fruit and Shoot Borer (FSB), the deadliest pest for brinjal.

GM technology has increased crop yields by more than 20% due to more effective pest control and resistance to stress.  Research says that GM crops have reduced pesticide quantity by 30-40% and pesticide cost by more than 40%. GM crop cultivation contributed to USD 180 billion in extra revenue, promoting food security, sustainability, and poverty reduction. The cumulative saving of pesticide (active ingredient) since 1996 was 0.7 million tons.  Yearly carbon dioxide emissions offset by the cultivation of GM crops are estimated to be 27 billion kg, equivalent to taking 12 million cars off the road for one year.

Bangladesh – a country with limited land resources and a large population - achieved tremendous success in agricultural production over the last 40 years. Scientific innovations (e.g. high-yielding varieties, and modern management) are the main change makers. Breeding programmes to develop high-yielding varieties played a vital role in the agricultural revolution. Now genetic engineering has made this breeding procedure more effective and less time-consuming. Environmentalists, civil society, and the media people raise their concerns about new technologies. However, science itself rectifies any flaws with scientific tools and procedures. With the safe and judicious use of available scientific tools, we are to fight against hunger, poverty, carbon emissions, and environmental and extreme events. Media and civil society spoke against chemical fertilizers in the 1960s, criticized groundwater irrigation in the 1970s, and raised voices against hybrid crop variety in the 1990s. Now they are speaking against genetically modified crops. However, all these innovations proved to be divine blessings for hungry humankind.

Post-harvest losses are still a big concern for global food security. Genetic engineering can be employed to retard the activity of cell-wall degrading enzymes, minimising postharvest losses. Furthermore, GM technology can be used to interfere with ethylene production, thus slowing the senescence process and reducing the chances of infection by opportunistic pathogens. The GM plants had better shelf-life and enhanced levels of vitamin C and lycopene.

Pest resistance corn, and brinjal, herbicide resistance corn, delayed ripening tomato, miniature size watermelon, cold resistance strawberries, improved sweetness peas, high starch potato, high vitamin A rice (Golden Rice), polyester gene added cotton, hepatitis B virus protein added banana and growth hormones added salmon are few examples of genetically modified crops.

Bangladesh is on the way to releasing GM late blight-resistant potatoes. As a potato-surplus country, Bangladesh is now exporting potatoes. After releasing GM potato, amount of export would be 10 times more than the present quantity. Farmers in Bangladesh spend up to Tk. 100 crore a year in spraying 500 tons of fungicide to protect this major tuber crop.
However, approval of another GM food crop – Vitamin A-enriched Golden Rice – has been pending for five years. The Philippines was the first country to release the Golden Rice variety last year. One in every five preschool children in Bangladesh is vitamin A-deficient. Among pregnant women, 23.7 per cent suffer from the deficiency. Consumption of only 150 grams of Golden Rice a day is expected to supply half of the recommended daily intake (RDA) of vitamin A for an adult. People in Bangladesh depend on rice for 70 per cent of their daily calorie intake. Therefore, vitamin A-fortified GM rice varieties would be a breakthrough for nutrition security in Bangladesh.

Farmers and consumers are still confused about GM crops.  Therefore, genetic literacy, science awareness, and news filtering skills are essential for consumers and farmers to decide on the cultivation and consumption of GM food crops. Promoting genetic literacy among politicians and the public is vital in removing the ambivalent attitude towards GMOs. The science community, media people and seed companies should bring the science of GM crops, the scientific reality of GM crops and the food security-health safety trade-off to the consumers. Sound bio-safety regulatory frameworks, investment and research in GM technology, and infrastructural provision for biotechnology are necessary for sustainable farming and food security in the coming years.
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The writer is an Agriculturist and civil servant. Email: [email protected]