Farmer vs Cotton

GM cotton vs organic cotton

The impact of GMO cotton is very complex .There are farmers fighting for and against organic cotton .Scientists are debating for and against BT-cotton for decades together .There is always a question of transparency and ulterior motivations of each group .The scientific community is especially tricky to believe, as the university’s funding comes from the very corporations making GMO(Genetically modified Organism) seeds .

Freedom vs control

Seed is the fundamental source of life, and farmers especially in India have had access to many species of cotton. Seeds were grown based on the soil and the local climatic conditions of the region. Currently more than 90% of India’s cotton cultivation is GM (genetically modified –BT cotton).90% of the cotton farmers in India are now completely dependent on the prices set by corporations .Seeds which they could harvest for free,seeds that they could choose and treasure are now in the hands of seed banks and corporates. The genius of GMO is that, seeds harvested from a GM crop does not have the innate properties of its parent crop. The second generation of GM crop will be of a lower quality .The farmer has no choice but to keep going back to the corporation every year, every season, every single time.

Conventional cotton lacks inclusiveness BT-cotton ,like many things that arise from the industrial revolution , looks at challenges in isolation .BT cotton’s claim was that of fighting its main adversary the “Bolloworm” .It discounts its effect on other friendly pests,the soil,the pollinators and the climatic conditions

It is estimated that a BT cotton field looses 22% of its friendly organisms like butterfly ,earthworms,bees,wasps etc in 4 years . It grossly under-estimates the power of life and evolution.It might stop insects for a short time ,like a quick shot of antibiotic. Conversely in the long run ,this has unleashed super bugs and insects which are super resistant now to all sorts of chemicals . Industry’s answer ? Lets add a couple of more tons of insecticide in the next spray .Lets come up with newer versions of Baciluss thurgeniss(BT), and unleash the nex-gen super bug.The pink bolloworm in India has developed resistance to BT-cotton.BT has no resistance against sucking insect pests; jassid, whitefly, thrips, aphid & mealybug.Insecticides are used to control these pests.

Farmer vs Industry

Farmers are forced to buy seeds whose prices are set by the industry .The industry sells chemical insecticides and fertilizers, all made to have short term high returns for the industry .The industry extracts every ounce of energy from the land and the farmer .It then simply moves on to the next natural resource (land and farmer).The farmer is stripped of his only asset, which had been feeding him for generations. The industry continues, leaving nothing behind but destruction.The farmer is left with huge debt and bottles of pesticide .He uses them one last time , to put himself out of misery.

30 per cent of all suicides ,are due to pesticide self-poisoning .Comprising an estimated 300,000 deaths per year globally.In India, pesticides are considered to cause around 92,000 suicides every year.

There was a choice of harvesting his own seeds ,use his own organic manures to increase the fertility of the soil and decrease need of external inputs .His farm was a self sustaining eco-system and it did not need anything other than his work .He has fallen due to greed and short term fixes which the industry has been abundant in providing.

Conclusion

The primary reason for GM crops coming into existence is the royalty it generates for the company. It is the easiest way for the company to claim proprietary ownership of what was otherwise natural.

The only one who can bring about a change is us, the consumer .The day we start to think about the value chain of any product is when we bring about change.

The devil is to,NOT look at the details .