Maneka Slams Bt Cotton, Pesticides at Convention


CHANDIGARH: The ministers who spoke at the fifth National Organic Farming Convention were unanimous in their opinion that conventional methods of agriculture are wrecking havoc on human health and environment.

They also agreed  that a shift to organic farming was both necessary and desirable.

The convention also saw strong opinions against pesticides and Genetically Modified(GM) crops from the Union Minister forWomen and Child Development Maneka Gandhi. Addressing a packed audience she lashed out at biotechnology corporations, “The owners of Bt cotton (the only genetically modified crop grown commercially in India) lied to us. They told us that this doesn’t require pesticides… but now, we find that Bt cotton cannot grow without the most dangerous pesticides in the world,” she said.

She was referring to neonicotinoid pesticides, which are used for seed treatment in maize and cotton including Bt cotton, among other crops.

They have been mired in controversy globally given their deleterious impact on the population of pollinators like bees........Read more

 

Source web page:THE NEW INDIAN EXPRESS


Comments (0)



Please Login or Register to join groups