1st Edition
The Politics of GM Crops in India Public Policy Discourse
This book discusses the conflicting discourse around GM crops in India. It brings together concerns related to food production, farming, environment, health, ownership and policymaking on the use of genetically modified crops in India.
The volume analyses apprehensions around GM technology from the perspective of the various stakeholders involved in the debate. Through field surveys and interviews with scientists, economists, environmentalists, civil society activists as well as cotton growing farmers from the states of Telangana and Maharashtra, it highlights the vulnerabilities and questions related to the short-term and long term impacts of using GM technology on farmers, food production, health, the agricultural economy and the environment. The book proposes ways for the use of GM technology which takes stock of economic and farming limitations and accordingly brings in reforms and policies to reconcile the conflicting arguments of stakeholders.
This volume will be of great interest to researchers and students of development studies, political science, sociology, agricultural studies and sciences and biotechnology. It will also be useful for policymakers, think tanks and NGOs working with farmers or agriculture collectives on policy issues.
List of Figures. List of Tables. Acknowledgements. 1. Introduction: The Historical Background 2. Critical Analysis of India's Regulatory Approach 3. The First GM Crop of India: The Existing Controversies Around Bt Cotton Cultivation 4. Theoretical Analysis of the Policy Development around GM Crops 5. Analysis of the Arguments of Policy Elites supporting or opposing GM Crops: Field based study in Delhi and Hyderabad 6. What do Farmers want? Field Survey Results of Telangana and Maharashtra 7. Summary and Conclusion Annexes: A. Open-Ended Questionnaire for Civil Society Activists B. Open-Ended Questionnaire for Scientists, Agricultural Economists and Member of Government Regulatory Bodies C. Field-Survey Questionnaire for Farmers Growing GM Crops. References. Index.
Biography
Asheesh Navneet is Assistant Professor of Political Science at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Tuljapur Campus, Maharashtra.
