May 7, 2005

We must prepare ourselves to embrace new technologies and concepts like biotechnology and genetics — a point of view that may be controversial

BIOTECHNOLOGISTS are active in more than 30 areas, including health, agriculture, environment, renewable energy and industries, each area being characterized by the use of a different set of technologies. A lot has been said about the “miracle” of biotechnology and the controversies surrounding it. Thus, it is appropriate to ask, what does all of this mean to us?

Until a decade ago, the only way to discover a new treatment or drug was to synthesize a large number of compounds, hoping that one of them will be effective against a particular disease. However, with biotechnology, designing a drug, or new treatment methods, has cut cost as well as time. Prior to the 20th century, we had few “miracle medicines” to treat patients. That changed in the 1920s, when scientists discovered two lifesaving breakthroughs — insulin and penicillin. The discovery of insulin in 1921 was a miracle of 20th century medicine. Historically, insulin was derived from animal sources, mainly cows and pigs, which often led to fatal consequences.

With advances in biotechnology over the past few decades, human insulin can now be manufactured or synthesized. Synthetic human insulin is identical to natural insulin, which is made in the human body, and is now the most common form of insulin used. In Pakistan, a number of biotechnological tools can be applied to overcome diseases, such as hepatitis B, cholera, and thalassaemia. It is worth mentioning that there are about 15 million hepatitis B carriers in Pakistan, which means that every tenth person is infected.

Researchers, however, have developed biotech tomatoes, bananas and other plants containing a vaccine for cholera, hepatitis B, and so on. Then there is Bt rice, which is known as “golden rice,” a variety fortified with beta-carotene, which stimulates production of vitamin A in the human body. This is currently in the testing stage at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in Los Banos, Philippines. IRRI researchers hope to make this rice variety available to farmers, probably by 2006.

Our modern consumer society produces a lot of waste, which needs to be disposed of safely and without harmful end products. Genetically modified bacteria have even been developed to help with problems, such as sewerage treatment and oil spills (the Tasman Spirit at Karachi port being a case in point). They convert crude oil and gasoline into non-toxic substances, such as carbon dioxide, water and oxygen, and help create a cleaner, healthier environment.

Agricultural innovation has always involved new, science-based products and processes that have contributed reliable methods for increasing productivity and environmental sustainability. The set of techniques commonly referred to as biotechnology has introduced a new dimension to such innovation.

The most widespread application of genetic engineering in agriculture is in engineered crops. Thousands of such products have been field-tested and over a dozen have been approved for commercial use. The traits most commonly introduced into crops are herbicide tolerance, insect tolerance, and virus tolerance. They are also more resistant to bad conditions, for example, drought, flood and frost. The story of the potato blight in mid-nineteenth century, shattering the economy of Ireland, is well recorded. Today, biotechnology offers potatoes, resistant to fungus, by engineering a gene from the Mexican wild potato. Frost-resistant strawberry with the ice-minus gene has already produced a miraculous effect on the crop.

Agriculture biotechnology is providing people with better crops and holds even greater promise for the future. Green revolution farming methods are coming to an end, with declining yields, due to environmental and soil degradation, loss of seedling varieties and high input costs. So, many farmers all over the world are turning to Genetic Engineered (GE) varieties as an alternative to the Green farming practices. From cotton farmers in China, India, America and South Africa to canola farmers in Canada to soybean farmers in Argentina, they are all using biotech seeds to boost yields, improve their livelihood and preserve the environment.

However, science-phobic activists are opposed to the widespread acceptance of genetically engineered crops and food. They want the people of Pakistan and other nations to split down the middle on the question of whether GM foods are safe to eat, despite the fact that millions of people have been eating genetically modified food for nearly a decade; without one proven case of an illness. Still, these activists are relentless when it comes to preventing the use of GE crops.

Pakistan is an agricultural state and the irrigation system to support cultivation is one of the largest in the world. The major kharif crops are rice, cotton and sugarcane and the main rabi crops are wheat, potatoes, rape seed and mustard. Agriculture remains the dominant sector of the economy and accounts for about 26 per cent of the GDP, half the employed labour force and a large share of foreign exchange earnings. So, such a technology can improve our economy and play an essential role in poverty alleviation. It is estimated that the global GM crop area in 2003 was 167.3 million acres, 15 per cent higher than in 2002. India approved three varieties of Bt cotton in 2002 and the fourth in 2004 for commercial production. It is also conducting field trials for several crops, including mustard, rice, potatoes and cauliflower. USDA estimated, in June, that 45 per cent of US's corn, 85 per cent of soybeans and 76 per cent of cotton plantings in 2004 would be grown with biotech varieties. The US was the largest producer of GM crops in 2003 with 105.7 million acres, followed by Argentina with 34.4 million acres, Canada with 10.9 million acres, Brazil with 8.4 million acres and South Africa with 1.0 million acres. Other countries growing GM crops in 2003 included Australia, Mexico, Romania, Bulgaria, Spain, Germany, Uruguay, Indonesia, the Philippines, India, Columbia, and Honduras.

Today, eight years after the commercialization of the first GM crop, such plants are harvested in 18 countries — and they had a commercial value of $44 billion in the 2003-04 growing season. Another 45 nations have tested biotech crops in laboratories, greenhouses or fields. China increased its biotech cotton production for the fifth straight year in 2003/04, planting 6.9 million acres, or about 68 per cent of its annual cotton crop. India, where farmers grow and sell insect-resistant cotton, has at least 20 academic and research institutions involved in plant biotech research covering 16 crops. Thirteen countries in Western Europe collectively led the world in field trials of GM vegetables, testing 11 crops, including broccoli, lettuce, carrots and tomatoes. Eight nations in that region have held field trials of a total of 11 types of GM fruit — melons, plums and cantaloupe among them — again taking the global lead. Although biotech research and development in Europe slowed significantly following EU's 1999 de facto moratorium on biotech crop approvals, Europe's stance on biotech crops cannot prevent biotech adoption in the rest of the world.

Under WTO regulations, the Pakistani government and traders are required to deal with food safety issues. This includes recent disease outbreaks, such as BSE and toxic substances such as dioxin. In Pakistan, farmers sprayed heavily during pest attacks. As a result, there is a high level of toxin in our fruits, vegetables and other crops. The use of pesticides in Pakistan is damaging our health and environment. However, statistics reveal that there has been no increase in crop production with increased use of pesticides. Water run-offs from agricultural fields, chemicals from leather tanneries and textile industries have polluted our rivers and destroyed our marine life. Under WTO, any country can ban another country’s products due to its quality deficiencies. Thus, it would be a big mistake if we shut the door on agricultural biotechnology.

The Green Revolution (late 1960s) has transformed some countries from food-grain importers to self-sufficient ones. Unfortunately, we have missed that bus. Common farm practices have damaged cultivated land through water and wind erosion, compaction, salinity and waterlogging. So we need technologies like crop biotechnology to overcome the forthcoming challenges. Pakistan can gain economic benefits from biotechnology projects in many ways. Firstly, they can provide employment in the agriculture, health, energy and manufacturing sectors. Secondly, there is likely to be some downstream processing, which adds value to the product before it leaves Pakistan, providing skilled employment. Thirdly, where intellectual property is held in Pakistan, we can use it in a way which is most appropriate for us.

Although the government of Pakistan has set up institutes like the National Commission on Biotechnology, National Institute of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering (NIBGE), Center of Excellence in Molecular Biology (CEMB), etc., there are no biosafety guidelines for farmers to help them grow our indigenous developed Bt seeds. Pakistan has also ratified many international agreements like TRIPS, Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) and the Cartagena Protocol, but the impasse in process for approval of the proposed biosafety regulations for the past four years reflects lack of commitment to our national responsibilities.

Today, more than 3.6 billions people around the world are directly, or indirectly, consuming genetically modified food. Despite the fact that Pakistan is an agrarian economy, it is unable to produce edible oil sufficient for domestic requirements and a substantial amount of foreign exchange is spent on the import of soybeans, canola and palm oil. It is worth mentioning here that no one can test refined edible oil, that is, whether it is from Bt or conventional crops, for there are no GMOs or Bt in refine edible oil. According to one report, Bt crops are safer than non-Bt, as it goes through many tests and evaluations.

The biotechnology industry is becoming an important sector for the EU because of its economic, social and environmental potential. Nowadays, trials of genetically modified crops are underway throughout Germany. Europe is a world leader in harnessing Genetically Modified Micro-organisms (GMMs) to produce pharmaceutical compounds and industrial enzymes. These include the production of therapeutic protein products, such as insulin and growth hormones. The industrial uses are mainly in the food and detergent industries, besides bioremediation. In Europe, the approval procedure for these activities is covered by Directive 90/219 on contained use of GMMs.

Last June, Zambia's government rejected GM maize, which has threatened lives of 2.4 million people who desperately needed food. The US government, the Food and Agricultural Organization, the American Medical Association and the Third World Academy of Sciences have repeatedly defended the safety of GM grain for human consumption, which has been modified to increase crop yields and kill pests. Of course, some people believe that Zambia's president blames the white minority for food shortage, so the decision was more political rather than scientific.

The big question is, should we follow in the footsteps of the Zambian government, which has created an unfriendly environment for investors and pushed its nation to the edge of famine? In January 2001, Bolivia introduced a ban on all food and agricultural products derived from GMO crops, but in August 2001, the Bolivian government lifted the ban and made a permanent law for GMOs. Then, in May 2004, the United Nations food agency came out in favour of biotech crops, saying genetically modified organisms have already helped small farmers financially, have had environmental benefits, with no ill effects on health.

Having said that, it makes sense for us to revamp the way we conduct our agricultural practices, especially now. In order to do so, we must take concrete steps and prepare ourselves to embrace new technologies and concepts like biotechnology and genetics. Clearly, we must try to understand and explore the miracles of biotechnology.

The writer contributes regularly to Sci-tech World

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