Should GM Crops Feature in the 'Evergreen Revolution' India Dearly Needs?

K VijayRaghavan, principal scientific adviser to the Government of India, and MS Swaminathan discuss an article the latter recently penned arguing that GM crops are unsustainable

In November, M.S. Swaminathan and P.C. Kesavan penned an article in the journal Current Science criticising genetically modified organisms (GMOs). The text polarised readers, drawing widespread support as well as criticism.

Kesavan and Swaminathan began by asserting the need for an ‘Evergreen Revolution’ to improve agricultural productivity and sustainability without the “adverse environmental and social impacts” of the Green Revolution.

They then argue that Bt crops and herbicide-tolerant crops cannot be part of this regime because they are “highly unsustainable”. They conclude asking for more basic research to “understand the causes of ‘unintended effects’” and that it would be “prudent to adhere