<p>The BT cotton debate needs to be approached with an open mind, said Ananth Hegde Ashisara, Co-Chairperson of the Karnataka Bio-Diversity Board.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Speaking at a day-long workshop titled ‘10 years of BT Cotton in Karnataka. Wither Other Cotton,’ Ashisara said that they were not against BT cotton but against the lack of an alternative argument.<br /><br />“At present as BT is still not a full-fledged technology, it is inappropriate and foolish on our part to abandon traditional farming practices to make way for it,” he said. <br /><br />“BT agriculture is tailored for large-scale farming with high investment. But a large section of our farmers have small land holdings and it is unscientific to be imposing such a practice on them,” Ashisara said. Moreover, all agricultural and horticultural research organisations in the country should study the impact of genetically-modified crops. Instead of collaborating with Monsanto, the institutions should look into alternatives to growing GM crops, he added.<br /><br />To empower farmers at the grassroots level, bio-diversity management committees need to be set up at the Panchayat level, so that they have the power to decide the kind of crops to be grown, said K S Soogara, Member Secretary of the Karnataka Bio Diversity Board.<br /><br />The government should report on the productiveness of GM crops and also look into the economical and ethical aspects of GM crops, he added.<br /><br />Farmer feted<br /><br />Nagappa Nimbegondhi, a progressive farmer, who has grown 23 strains of desi cotton, was felicitated at the event. <br /><br />“I too had fallen prey to BT cotton, however, I soon realised the danger it entailed. BT cotton requires more fertiliser, when compared to organic cotton and its use increases every year, leaving the land barren,” he said.<br /></p>
<p>The BT cotton debate needs to be approached with an open mind, said Ananth Hegde Ashisara, Co-Chairperson of the Karnataka Bio-Diversity Board.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Speaking at a day-long workshop titled ‘10 years of BT Cotton in Karnataka. Wither Other Cotton,’ Ashisara said that they were not against BT cotton but against the lack of an alternative argument.<br /><br />“At present as BT is still not a full-fledged technology, it is inappropriate and foolish on our part to abandon traditional farming practices to make way for it,” he said. <br /><br />“BT agriculture is tailored for large-scale farming with high investment. But a large section of our farmers have small land holdings and it is unscientific to be imposing such a practice on them,” Ashisara said. Moreover, all agricultural and horticultural research organisations in the country should study the impact of genetically-modified crops. Instead of collaborating with Monsanto, the institutions should look into alternatives to growing GM crops, he added.<br /><br />To empower farmers at the grassroots level, bio-diversity management committees need to be set up at the Panchayat level, so that they have the power to decide the kind of crops to be grown, said K S Soogara, Member Secretary of the Karnataka Bio Diversity Board.<br /><br />The government should report on the productiveness of GM crops and also look into the economical and ethical aspects of GM crops, he added.<br /><br />Farmer feted<br /><br />Nagappa Nimbegondhi, a progressive farmer, who has grown 23 strains of desi cotton, was felicitated at the event. <br /><br />“I too had fallen prey to BT cotton, however, I soon realised the danger it entailed. BT cotton requires more fertiliser, when compared to organic cotton and its use increases every year, leaving the land barren,” he said.<br /></p>
