ISAAA moots development of transgenic bio-fuel crops – The Financial Express, New Delhi – February 3, 2007

In the midst of the global debate on the use of food crops for generating bio-fuels, the international Services for the Acquisition of Agro-biotech Applications (ISAAA) has suggested the development of suitable transgenic crops for the purpose.

ISAAA has stipulated that within 20years transgenic crops which would increase the potential yield of crops to ensure food security as well as bio-fuel needs would be developed. So far the development transgenic crops are for insect and pest resistance and not for increasing the yield potential. “ A quantum increase in production of bio-fuel from food s crops over the next 20years present both opportunities and challenges,” the ISAAA reported said.

Setting aside separate land for cultivation of bio-fuel crops is another issue which the policymakers are aiming at so that the land for cultivations of food crops would not be diverted for plantation of bio-fuel crops. The principal advisor and secretary in the ministry of non – conventional energy source, S. K. Chopra said, “We would like to initiate cultivation of bio-fuel crops on wasteland.” In Europe, however, there is policy for setting aside 3% to 14% surplus farmland for cultivation of bio-fuel crops under climate change and environment programme.

Nobel Laureate Hartmut Michel when he was in India on the occasion of the 94^th Indian Science Congress cautioned against the extensive use bio-fuels and biomass for meeting energy needs. He had said that with the increasing demand and rising prices for bio-fuels, there would be a tendency among farmer, particularly in developing countries, to switch over to bio-fuel crops, thus neglecting food crops. He suggested tapping solar energy through large solar field would be the best, cheapest and viable alternative.

At present globally, many foods crops like maize, rapeseed, canola, soybean are used for production of bio-fuel. In Brazil ethanol is extracted directly from sugarcane. Brazil has recently announced a new bio-diesel called H- Bio which is a mixture of cottonseeds, castor beans, sunflower seeds and soybeans.

The use of food crops for production of bio-fuels has already caused a food security problem at the global level.