Context: Farmer union leaders from 18 states and activists advocating farmers’ rights have written a letter to Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Minister demanding a national policy on genetically modified (GM) crops.

Genetically Modified Crops

• About: It can be defined as organisms (i.e., plants, animals or microorganisms) in which the genetic material (DNA) has been altered in a way that does not occur naturally by mating and/or natural recombination. 
• Technology called:  Modern biotechnology” or “gene technology”.
• Aim: To overcome the boundaries of plant species by incorporating a foreign gene into seeds to achieve specific effects; this foreign gene may originate from a plant, an animal, or even a soil bacterium.
• GM crops in India: BT cotton, BT Brinjal, DMH 11 Mustard (allowed for environmental release only).
• First GM Crop: India introduced Bt cotton seeds in 2002.

o BT cotton is the only genetically modified (GM) crop that has been approved for commercial cultivation in India.

• Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC): It is the apex body that allows for the commercial release of GM crops.

Genetic Modification (GM) Technology

• About: It enables the transfer of specific traits between species using advanced laboratory techniques.
• First Time introduced: U.S. in the mid-1990s, with corn, soybeans, and cotton being the most widely grown.
• Applications: Improvements in nutrition, stress tolerance, disease resistance, biofuel efficiency, and environmental remediation.