Potentials of Plant Biotechnology: Nepal

Rasbin Basnet, 2009 : University of Wolverhampton

POTENTIALS OF PLANT

BIOTECHNOLOGY IN

N E P A L

By

Rasbin Basnet

Student I.D. 0917844

University of Wolverhampton

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December2009

Table of Contents Page

Title page 1

Table of contents 2

Summary 3

1. Introduction 4

2. Background: Nepal 5

3. Agriculture in Nepal 6

4. Food Insecurity in Nepal 9

5.1 Land degradation5.2 Deforestation5.3 Change in climate5.4 Poverty5.5 Lack of information and expertise5.6 Population growth and Urbanisation

6. Applications of Plant Biotechnology 136.1 Improved yield and enhancement of nutrients6.2 Plants resistant to environmental stress6.3 Use of marginal lands6.4 Pharmaceuticals and Vaccines from Transgenic plants6.5 Insect resistance plants6.6 Herbicide resistant plants

7. Weighing risks and benefits of Plant Biotechnology 18

8. Adoption of Plant Biotechnology 20

9. Conclusion 23

Literatures cited 24

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Summary

Plant biotechnology is a tool that uses the principle of genetic engineering for

modifying, creating or improving plants. Genetically engineered crops have the

capacity to overcome different agricultural challenges so that they can provide high

productivity, enhance nutrient availability, and minimize crop losses due to insects,

disease, biotic and abiotic stresses. The crops produced using modern techniques

are proved beneficial to many farmers and nations worldwide. However, many

countries including Nepal are still lagging behind to take the benefits of plant

biotechnology. Plant biotechnology has the potential to exploit the agricultural

potential of Nepal where agriculture is the main source of food, income and

employment. The main aim of this report is to elucidate the applications of plant

biotechnology for the agricultural development of the country.

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1. Introduction

According to USDA, Agricultural biotechnology is the use of organisms or part of an

organism to make or improve products or process in agriculture. Modern agricultural

techniques involve the use of recombinant DNA technology, i.e., Genetic

engineering, for creating, improving, or modifying plants to obtain desirable

characteristics. Modern plant biotechnology has been increasingly applied to

agriculture for improving crop productivity, enhancing nutrients availability, controlling

pest and diseases, producing herbicide resistance and environmental resistance

crops (Mannion, 1994).

Modern plant biotechnology has been increasingly used in the development of

agriculture in many developed and developing countries. However, many countries

including Nepal are still lagging behind from its advances and benefits. Agriculture is

the backbone of many developing countries like Nepal. It is the key sustaining the life

of people in the rural areas where people depend on small scale farming for their

income and livelihood. Despite of many advances in agriculture around the globe,

farmers in Nepal are still facing many problems and constraints. The major

agricultural challenges in Nepal are land degradation, low soil fertility, pre and post

harvest crop losses due to insects, diseases, and environmental stresses like loss of

soil fertility, drought, flooding, extreme temperature, etc. All these factors have

detrimental effects on the crop production. Also, increasing populations and change

in climate exerts a tremendous pressure on the agriculture resulting in low

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agricultural yield, which is the major cause of poverty, food insecurity and poor

nutrition in the people living in rural areas.

Despite having diverse agro-ecological situations and varying climatic

conditions, the agricultural growth in Nepal is limited. The solutions for many of these

problems lie in the various applications of modern plant biotechnology. So, there is

an urgent need of adopting modern agricultural techniques (i.e. Plant Biotechnology)

for increasing the food production and to maintain food security to the people. The

development of agricultural biotechnology is desirable as it increases crop

production, lower farming costs, improve quality of food, and provide resistance to

plant against insects, diseases and environmental stresses (Caswell et al, 1994). So,

integration of plant biotechnology in the field of agriculture is the promising way of

exploiting the agricultural potential of the country.

2. Background: Nepal

Nepal is a landlocked country lying in South East Asia. It is bordered by China

on the north and India on the other three sides. It is a small country with total land

area of 1, 47,181 sq. km. Though it is a small country, it has great physical diversity

ranging from the plain Terai in the south to world highest Himalayas in the north. The

country is divided into three distinct regions Terai, Hills and Mountains, of which

Mountains and Hills cover 83 percent of the area whereas Terai covers the remaining

17 percent. Terai is the main agricultural land of Nepal and is also known as the

bread basket of Nepal.

Agriculture in Nepal is the main (only) source of food, income or employment

to the people in the rural areas. Till 1980s, it was the livelihood for more than 90 % of

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the population but now only 65.6 % (two-third) of the total population is engaged in

agriculture. However only 21 % of the total land area is used for cultivation

(MOAC, 2004). Agriculture in Nepal is done by traditional method and farmers are

only able to meet their livelihood by small scale farming.

Nepal has a great deal of variation in climate, ranging from subtropical to

arctic (High Mountain) and vegetation ranges from subtropical forests to arctic like

Tundra (Acharya and Kafle, 2009). The remarkable differences in climatic conditions

are primarily due to enormous variation in altitude within such a short north- south

distance (193 km). Climate change in Nepal is at alarming rate and its consequences

include flooding, heavy rainfall, drought, heat wave and cold stream etc. Agriculture

in Nepal is heavily dependent on monsoon and seasons. Therefore even a slight

change in climate or monsoon has a marked effect on the productivity (Lama and

Devkota, 2009). The economy of Nepal is overwhelmingly dependent on agriculture.

However, the GDP contributed by agricultural sector is continually decreasing and

has reached 33.8 % with an average annual agricultural growth rate of 1 % (World

Bank, 2007). The other sources of income are industries, manufacturing and services

which are also directly or indirectly dependent on the agriculture. Therefore, it is clear

that agriculture is the backbone of Nepal.

3. Agriculture in Nepal

Agriculture is the mainstay of the economy of Nepal. It is the principle source

of food, income, and employment for the majority of people, particularly in the rural

areas. It contributes to about 33.8 % of the country’s GDP. Agriculture in Nepal is

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largely based on low valued cereals and substinence production. The major crops

produced in Nepal in 2007 is represented by the graph which is shown in the figure: 1

Figure: 1 showing the top agricultural production of Nepal in 2007

Rice is the most important cereal crop. It accounts for half the cereal

production in Nepal. Rice is followed by maize, wheat, millet, and barley. Vegetables,

meat and milk are other principal diet for many of the people. Other agricultural

production includes lentil, potato, oilseed, cotton, and sweet potato, but their

contribution to agricultural sector is relatively lower. The major cash crops grown are

sugarcane, jute, tobacco, tea etc (MOAC, 2000) and they are also supporting many

industries by providing them raw materials. The crop production and farming system

is heavily dependent upon the agro-ecological regions and the climate. Rice, wheat

and maize is grown in the plain (Terai) and middle Hills, whereas in high hills and

mountains maize, millet, barley and buckwheat is grown (Pandey et al, 2009). The

production of these crops has significant role in providing employment and

supporting livelihood of the people in rural areas. However, the yield is unsatisfactory

and has been lower than other south Asian countries (Pandey et al, 2009). Amagain

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and Timilsina (2004) has suggested that there is a great scope to increase yields of

all cereals in Nepal through implementation of innovation techniques, improved crop,

soil and nutrition management. Therefore, modern agricultural techniques should be

adopted for the development of agricultural sector in Nepal.

4. Food Insecurity in Nepal

Until 1980s, Nepal was self sufficient in food grains, but now it has to be

dependent on food imports from India and other nearby countries. Approximately 45

of the country’s 75 districts are unable to produce enough food to meet the

population’s basic needs. Most of the families depend upon substinence farming with

24 percent of the population living on less than US$1 per day (WFP, 2009b). In the

recent years, Nepal has experienced a sharp decline in food security with 3.4 million

people severely affected (WFP, 2009a) and 80 % of the children under the age of

five suffering from malnutrition (WFP, 2009b). Also, Nepal’s food security is severely

affected by increasing food prices, internal conflicts, and frequently occurring natural

disasters. In 2008, there was an unprecedented increase in food price across the

country. The price of rice increased by 30 percent, wheat flour by 18 percent, and

lentil (musuro) by 40 percent in comparison to 2007 (WFP, 2009c).

The causes of food insecurity are complex and interrelated. Smith et al (2000)

has explained that insufficient food production and inadequate access to food due to

poverty and other infrastructures are the two major causes of food deficit in

developing countries like Nepal. Difficult land topography, inadequate infrastructures,

and lack of government plan and policies have affected the food distribution in Nepal.

Poor food distribution is taken as one of the principal causes of food and nutrition

insecurity in many countries including Nepal.

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Nepal is a mountainous country. Most of its land surface is covered by high

hills and mountains. So, the arable land is comparatively less than other countries.

Also, due to difficult land topography, farmers in rural areas don’t have access to

agricultural resources like transportation, improved seeds, and other infrastructures

necessary for farming is not adequate. Therefore, there is limitation in agricultural

productivity. Seddon and Adhikari (2003) has mentioned some of the major causes of

food insecurity in Nepal as: internal conflicts, poor socio-political conditions,

persistent degradation of natural resources and community assets, lack of policies

and institutions, poverty, and gender discrimination.

However, the pressure on agricultural resources goes on increasing. Also,

change in climate, diminishing resources, growing population, and urbanisation exert

a tremendous pressure on the agriculture of Nepal. And increasing yield from existing

farmland using traditional farming technique is impossible. Also, expansion in

agricultural land may lead to degradation of the natural resources which

consequently decreases the agricultural production (UNDP). Therefore, there is an

urgent need for implementing plant biotechnology for the rapid development of

agricultural sector. Persely (2000) has acknowleged plant biotechnology as an

important tool which has the potential for increasing food production, Improving food

security, reducing malnutrition, reducing poverty, and improving the livelihoods of the

rural and urban poor.

5. Major Agricultural challenges in Nepal

Nepal is a small, landlocked, mountainous country wedged between India and

China. Most of the land surface (about 2/3) is covered by hills and mountains.

Therefore, there is less land suitable for cultivation. Also, land deterioration,

deforestation, change in climate, poverty, ever growing population, and lack of

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agricultural knowledge and expertises has a huge impact on the agricultural sector of

Nepal.

5.1 Land degradation:

Land degradation is one of the greatest challenges facing mankind and Nepal

is no exception. Land degradation in caused by different physical, chemical, and

biological processes which are directly or indirectly related to human activities

(Acharya and Kafle, 2009). Karkee (2004) has mentioned that deforestation, shifting

agriculture, overgrazing, excessive use of chemical fertilizers, steep slope farming

and construction works as the major causes of land degradation in Nepal. All these

activities have resulted in decreased productivity and wash away of agricultural land

which eventually results in poor socioeconomic status and imbalance in the natural

ecosystem.

5.2 Deforestation:

Deforestation is one of the biggest socioeconomic and environmental

problems in Nepal. About 80 percent of the people live in rural areas and they totally

depend on agriculture and forest for their livelihood. They depend heavily on forest to

meet their energy needs as they don’t have access to other energy sources (Ghimire,

2009). This has lead to massive decrease in the forest area of Nepal. The

dependence of livestock sector on forest and grassland is another major cause of

forest degradation (Gautam and Heart, 2000). Forests have also been cleared for

different resettlement programs, illegal export of woods to neighbouring countries,

etc. Another important cause of deforestation is the use of forest woods as timber. In

1991 the per capita consumption of forest wood was reported to be 0.04 m3 per

capita for housing purpose. This consumption is still increasing at an alarming rate.

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Therefore, the main reason behind deforestation in Nepal is the lack of awareness

and failure of government to provide alternative energy source to the people.

Deforestation in Nepal is continually increasing which results in climate

change, land deterioration, loss in biodiversity, and decrease in economy (Nagendra,

2007). Forests have a crucial role in maintaining biodiversity and saving agricultural

lands as they are the natural protective measures against rivers and landslides.

5.3 Changes in Climate:

Agriculture is extremely vulnerable to climatic variations resulting in variability

of production and disruption of ecosystem services (Howden et al 2007). Change in

climate results in increase in temperature, variation in precipitation, drought and

increase in atmospheric CO2 concentration which ultimately result in decreased

agricultural production (Miraglia et al, 2009).

Agriculture in Nepal is totally dependent on the seasons and monsoon. So,

change in rainfall pattern, soil moisture, and temperature variation threatens the

agricultural production. In recent years, Nepal has been experiencing flooding,

landslides, drought, and variability in monsoon rain (Dhungel, 2009). These changes

have a huge impact on the livelihood and agriculture of the people. Malla (2008) has

reviewed that the decrease of rainfall in 2008 reduced the crop production of Nepal

by 12.5%. Also, due to the rise in temperature, the maize production in Terai

decreased by 26.4%. So, Nepal is moving towards vulnerable situation due to

change in climate. Therefore to overcome this crisis and to increase productivity,

there is an utmost need of cultivating GM crops that are resistant to environmental

stresses.

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5.4 Poverty

According to The World Bank (2009), Nepal is the poorest country in the south

East Asia and twelfth poorest country in the world. About 75 percent of the poor and

hungry people live in rural areas and they depend directly or indirectly on agriculture

for their livelihoods. Broca (2002) has acknowledged that strong agricultural growth

as the key way of reducing poverty in developing countries like Nepal. Several other

countries have already started improving their agricultural practices for the overall

development of the country. For instance: Malawi, an African country, has turned

from begging bowl to bread basket in just two years due to advancement in

agricultural techniques [BBC news channel, 2008]. Productivity gains are essential in

Nepal to reduce poverty, maintain adequate food security, and provide employment

to the people in rural areas. However, initial investment should be arranged by the

government or donor agencies for adopting modern agricultural techniques.

5.5 Lack of information and expertise:

Farming in Nepal is done by traditional method without the use of farming

resources and it is totally based on substinence farming where farmers are only able

to make their living with their farming. Most of the farmers in Nepal are uneducated

and they don’t have sufficient knowledge about modern agricultural techniques and

other agricultural resources for increasing their production. Also, lack of government

policies has disabled farmers to get sufficient turn over from their efforts. Farmers

don’t have access to improved seeds, modern farming equipments and irrigation

systems. In addition, many land areas in the hilly and mountain regions are

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marginalized as traditional farming method is inadequate to produce crops in those

areas. Therefore, it is clear that farmers in Nepal are inefficient in their practices and

to improve the agricultural growth, there is an utmost need of accessing farmers to

information and expertise for sustained food security (Sharma et al, 2002).

5.6 Population growth and Urbanisation

Nepal is a food deficit country with the population of approximately 27 million.

The growth rate of population of Nepal is 2.3 % according to the tenth population

census conducted in 2003. Most of the people make their living by working in

agriculture, fishing, animal husbandry or forestry. However, in recent years, there are

an increasing number of people shifting to urban areas for employment opportunities.

This trend has decreased the number of people working in agricultural lands and has

also replaced the lands in urban areas by housing and construction works. Therefore,

population growth and urbanisation can be taken as the factors hindering the

agricultural growth of the country.

6. Applications of Plant Biotechnology

Since the inception of agriculture (around 10,000 years ago), the main aim of

agriculture is to produce more and protect the plants from deterioration. New

techniques and new crops are constantly being integrated of the development of

agriculture. The most recent success is the integration of modern agricultural

techniques or Plant Biotechnology which is based on Genetic engineering.

Genetic engineering is far more precise and selective than traditional breeding

technique. Mannion (1994) has suggested three main applications of plant

biotechnology: crop improvement, control of pests and diseases and enhancement of

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nutrient availability. Plant biotechnology is based on DNA recombinant technology

which is the technique of modifying organism’s genetic makeup in which DNA from

one organism or cell in transferred to another without sexual reproduction. The crops

produced using this technique is called genetically modified (GM) crops or transgenic

crops. So, this technique promises the farmers to increase the production, minimize

the deterioration, and adding essential qualities in food.

Macer (1997) has cited the major application of crop biotechnology which is shown in

the Table: 1

Benefits ExamplesIncreasing crop productivity

Improving growth rate Altering ratio of usable products (eg. Increased

proportion of seed in rice plant)Increasing crop quality Improving nutritional quality (e.g. Specific vitamin

contents, type and content of fibre, fat components, amino acids)

Removing food contaminants and toxins (e.g. Alfa toxins)

Environmental adaptation

Making crop better adapted to changing environments

Broadening stress tolerance

Making plant more resistant to drought, flooding, salinity, heavy metal, pollution

Increasing disease and pest resistance

Selecting resistant varieties (e.g. Using molecular techniques to insert antiviral or antibacterial genes from other species)

Hybridizing crops with wild relatives (e.g. Glyphosphate-resistant soybean, through insertion of a bacterial gene that reduces sensitivity to herbicide)

Production of non edible substances

Use of food crops to produce non edible products (e.g. Medicinal products and proteins, fuel alcohol, industrial oils)

Using food crops for polymer and bio plastic production

Use of new raw materials

Production of single cell (e.g. Growing bacteria on methanol for animal feed, growing mycoprotein from fungi and wastes from pulp and paper industry)

Table: 1 showing major applications of crop biotechnology (extracted from Macer, 1997)

Agricultural biotechnology has a great scope for the agricultural development

of countries like Nepal, where there is a tremendous need of increasing food

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production, improving food security, increasing the economy, and uplifting the living

standard of the people.

Some of the major applications of plant biotechnology are:

Improved yield and enhancement of nutrients

Plants resistant to environmental stress

Insect resistance plants

Herbicide resistance plants

Use of marginal lands

Production of pharmaceuticals and vaccines

6.1 Improved yield and enhancement of nutrients

Biotechnology helps to increase crop production by introducing beneficial traits

to the plants like insect resistance, disease resistant, drought tolerance, etc.

Moreover, food produced from GM technology is more nutritious, stable in storage

and aided with essential nutrients.

One of the methods employed for increasing yield is the incorporation of

nitrogen fixing bacteria in plants. These bacteria fix the atmospheric nitrogen and

make it available for plants. Similarly, fungi are used for enhancing the availability of

phosphorus and zinc to plants (Mannion, 1994).

Also essential nutrients are added in GM plants like in golden rice which is

enriched in beta carotene, a precursor of vitamin A, is effective and efficient means of

combating vitamin a deficiency (Stein, 2008). Similarly transgenic rice has been

developed with enhanced iron and zinc content (Vasconcelos, 2003). Also new

varieties of corn, sorghum, sweet potato, wheat are developed to provide more

amino acids such as lysine, an important dietary content (Bio, 2009). Similarly other

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food rich in proteins, vitamins, carbohydrates, iron, oils, amino acids and other micro

nutrients can be produced in GM crops (Sharma et al 2002).

Also genes for delayed ripening are added to the transgenic plants which

prevent farmers from heavy losses due to excessive and uncontrolled ripening or

softening of fruit or vegetables. For instance: transgenic tomatoes are produced

which have delayed ripening property (Bevan et al 1994). Transgenic plants can also

be also used in production of raw materials for industries like oils, rubber, tannins,

etc.

6.2 Plants resistant to environmental stress

Abiotic and biotic stresses are the primary causes limiting crop productivity.

Salinity, drought, submergence, extreme temperature, osmotic stress, presence of

heavy metals and other chemical pollutants has detrimental affect on the agricultural

yield. Transgenic plants are genetically modified so that they can withstand abiotic

stress which stabilizes the crop production and has a significant role in maintaining

food security (Sharma et al 2002). Dian-jun et al (2008) have acknowledged that

integrating ICE1 gene in rice improves its tolerance to cold. Similarly, salt tolerant

maize has been produced by using gutD gene from Escherichia coli (Liu, et al 1999).

6.3 Use of marginal lands

One of the greatest challenges for the agricultural development in Nepal is

make use of marginal lands. Vast area of land has been marginalised due to poor

physiology of soil, lack of irrigation system and environmental stresses. Also, change

in seasons and monsoon rain has compelled many farmers to left their land

unproductive. Similarly, due to tough geography, many lands in hilly and mountain

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region are left barren as conventional farming technique is inadequate to produce

crops in these areas. It is therefore imperative to implement plant biotechnology for

making use of such marginal lands. Modern agricultural techniques can be used to

modify or produce crops which can resist adverse condition and can acclimatize on

such marginal lands. For instance: salt tolerant transgenic plants are produced

which can be grown in saline soils, thereby preventing the land from going useless

(Owens, 2001). Similarly, plants resistant to toxic metals have been developed so

that they can be grown in acidic soils (Bio, 2009).

6.4 Pharmaceuticals and Vaccines from Transgenic plants

Modern agricultural techniques have the potential to produce pharmaceuticals

and vaccines in transgenic plants. Thanavala et al (2005) has mentioned the

production of edible vaccines for hepatitis B in potato. Similarly, Tackett (2007) has

mentioned the plant based vaccines against diarrheal diseases. Also, potatoes,

tomatoes, maize, and soybeans have been genetically modified to express a variety

of vaccine targets (Pascual, 2007). There are lots of advantages of plant based

vaccines and pharmaceuticals. Plant derived vaccines would be inexpensive, free of

pathogenic animal viruses, scalable to produce, easy to administer and also an

alternate way to generate income. Therefore for poor countries like Nepal, where

people have no access to medicines and vaccines, plant derived vaccines and

medicines will be boon of modern agricultural techniques to them.

6.5 Insect resistance plants

Insects are one of the major causes of crops loss around the world. Insects

are responsible for both pre and post harvest crop losses. However due to recent

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advances in plant biotechnology, various transgenic crops are developed which are

resistant to insects. One of the greatest successes is the introduction of Bt. crops

which are incorporated with Bt. genes so that they are able to produce Bt. toxins.

When these toxins are ingested, they interact with the receptors in the midgut

epithelium, causing cell lysis and eventually death of larva (Choma et al 1990).

Commercially, Bt. genes are integrated in maize, cotton, and potato and the resulting

agricultural yield is very high (James, 2007). Similarly, other strategies for producing

insect resistant transgenic plants include use of hydrolytic enzymes, oxidative

enzymes, lipid oxidases (Rechcigl, 2000).

6.6 Herbicide resistant plants

Herbicides are the effective means of controlling weeds in crop cultivation.

Herbicides are necessary to protect the plant from weeds. However, most of the

herbicides are selective, so their use was limited. But the introduction of herbicide

resistant plants facilitate the farmers to use non specific herbicides which are

detrimental to many weeds in a single, quick application. In 2008, the herbicide

resistant crops deployed in soybean, maize, canola and alfalfa have become the

largest genetic modified organisms planted in the world, which accounted for 63% or

79 million hectares (Xiao, 2009).

7. Weighing risks and benefits of Plant Biotechnology

The adoption of biotech crops has increased dramatically in last 11 years (Icoz

and Stotcky, 2008). However, number of questions has been raised about its

possible risks to the environment, biodiversity and human beings. Biotechnology for

the crop production cannot only be considered as an agent of agricultural change

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because it is directly related to the environment and its resources. So, it is has a

major role in maintaining the balance in the ecosystem. Therefore, the application of

biotechnology has both advantages and disadvantages. Many arguments are raised

against using GM crops/ foods ranging from ethical and religious to health and safety

including its environmental impacts.

Some of the estimated possible risks of using GM crops and foods are:

1. There is a risk of introducing allergens and toxins into safe foods.

2. The use of marker genes has raised concern that new antibiotic resistant

strains of bacteria will emerge.

3. There is a suspicion that transgenic crop cross pollinate with related weeds

resulting in the emergence of super weeds that may later become difficult to

control.

4. Sometimes, non target insects and animals may become the victim of

insecticide plants.

5. There is a fear that the use of Bt. Crops for long time will build up resistant in

pests.

6. There may also be threat to biodiversity due to adoption of transgenic plants.

Despite of these estimated risks, there are lots of advantages that GM crops/ foods

had already provided to the environment, farmers and consumers.

1. Biotech crops helps in eliminating the need of current high fossil fuel usage by

providing an alternative energy source like bio fuels (Wackett, 2000).

2. Use of transgenic insect resistance plants reduces the use of harmful

insecticides, thereby protecting the farmers from exposure to toxic chemicals

and also reducing environment pollution due to harmful chemicals.

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3. Transgenic plants can be used for phytoremediation and rhizoremediation of

organic xenobiotic compounds [(Abhilash et al. 2009) and (Macek, 2008)].

4. It helps the farmers to grow crops resistant to environmental stress like

drought, extreme temperature, salinity etc., thereby protecting the farmers

from decrease in agricultural yield.

5. Consumption of GM crops provides essential nutrients to the people

(McGloughlin, 2008).

6. Transgenic plants/ crops can be used in production of edible vaccines and

pharmaceuticals which is cheaper and easily accessible to poor people and

those living in remote areas (Han et al, 2006).

7. GM crops will promote food security and also the food produced will be

healthier, cheaper and more nutritious (Azadi et al, 2009).

8. It also provides alternate resource for industrial use by using transgenic plants

to produce fuels, vaccines and pharmaceuticals.

9. It makes farmers more efficient and productive.

10. It helps in minimizing the need of expanding agricultural lands, thereby

conserving biodiversity and protecting the fragile ecosystem (Anderson and

Cohen).

Therefore, it is clear that the benefits of transgenic plants overweigh its possible

risks. However, constant monitoring and research should be carried out to eliminate

its possible risks.

8. Adoption of plant biotechnology

Many developed and developing countries have already started taking

advantages from biotech crops where millions of farmers have been benefited in the

aspect of economy, environment, social and health. In 2007, the number of countries

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planting biotech crops increased to 23, which includes 12 developing countries and

11 developed countries.

The following line graph shows the global area utilised for growing transgenic crops

by developed and developing countries.

Source: James, 2007

James (2007) has made a report on global status of biotech crops which

shows that USA, Argentina, Brazil, Canada, India, and China were the principal

adopters of biotech crops, with USA retaining at the top position with more than 50

percent of the global biotech area. The major global Biotech crops grown are

soybean, maize, cotton, canola, alfalfa, etc which is shown in the Table: 2.

Table: 2, Dominant Biotech Crops in 2007 (Million Hectares)

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Source: James, 2007

Implementation of modern biotechnologies in agriculture has increased

agriculture production worldwide. Developing countries like China, Argentina, and

India have already started increasing their economy by adopting transgenic crops.

For instance China, which is the largest producer of Bt. Cotton, has increased its

national income by US$ 800 million per year. Similarly India enhanced its farm

income from Bt. cotton by US$1.3 billion in the period 2002 to 2006 and US$840

million in 2006 alone (James, 2007). Therefore, it is clear that developing countries

should develop and benefit from agricultural biotechnology. Adoption of transgenic

crops is the proven and promising way of exploiting the agricultural potential of the

country, thereby increasing the national economy and benefiting both the farmers

and the environment.

The number of countries adopting GM crops is increasing. Africa has already

formulated “20 year African biotechnology strategy” to improve its agricultural

production and to develop pharmaceutical products (Daar et al, 2007). However, in

Nepal, the use of biotechnology in agriculture is only limited to tissue culture

propagation of some economic plants like potato, banana, citrus and flowers

(Rajbhandari and Ranjit, 2001). Till date, there is no evidence of growing GM crops in

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Nepal. Engel et al (2002) has mentioned that genetic engineering can help farmers in

rural areas by (i) facilitating agricultural growth through high yielding varieties

resistant to biotic and abiotic stresses; (ii) reducing pest associated losses; (iii)

supporting environment friendly production technologies and (iv) enabling precision

agriculture. Therefore, the adoption of GM crops will be a great boon of modern

plant biotechnology to the farmers and to the nation.

Conclusion

It is clear that plant biotechnology has the potential for developing the

agriculture sector and also confers benefits to farmers, consumers, and environment.

In Nepal, the agricultural yield is limited and most of the farmers are marginalized.

Farmers are facing many problems like crop losses due to insects, disease, weeds,

and droughts, low fertility of soil, other abiotic and biotic stresses. Also, climate

change and growing population is exerting tremendous pressures on the agricultural

production. So, farmers are suffering from low agricultural yield and it is obvious that

low productivity in agriculture is the major cause of poverty, food insecurity, and poor

nutrition in developing countries like Nepal. Therefore, to overcome these problems,

the tools of modern agricultural biotechnology should be adopted. It is imperative that

leaders and scientists should express the need of plant biotechnology for high crop

productivity and the farmers should be provided with sufficient knowledge and

adequate agricultural resources. It should be acknowledged that productivity gains is

essential for maintaining food security, reducing child malnutrition, providing

employment to people, and to increase the national economy. However, adequate

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regulation, constant monitoring and research are essential to eliminate the possible

risks.

References

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Acharya, A.K and Kafle, N. (2009), Land degradation issues in Nepal and its management through agroforestry: The journal of agriculture and environment. Vol. 10, pp. 115-123Available on: <www.moac.gov.np/publications/index.php>

Anderson, P. and Cohen, M.J., Modern biotechnology for food and agriculture: risks and opportunities for poorAvailable on: <www.cgiar.org/biotech/rep0100/Ppanders.pdf>Accessed on: 18th November, 2009

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