Brinjal from BangladeshAbstractBrinjal, also known as eggplant and aubergine, is Bangladesh’s third most important
vegetable in terms of both yield and area cultivated. It is only surpassed by potatoes and
onions. However, the yield of brinjal could be much higher would it not be decimated by
the brinjal shoot and fruit borer, which is the most destructive insect pest in South and
South East Asia. Genetically modified brinjal (Bt brinjal) has the potential to bump up
agricultural productivity in Bangladesh and other countries. This paper provides a brief
overview of Bangladesh’s vegetable sector and reviews the key issues of introducing Bt
brinjal in Bangladesh. It summarizes the results of recent research undertaken in
Bangladesh on the environmental safety of Bt brinjal and concludes that Bt brinjal could
make a significant contribution to Bangladesh’s agricultural sector and more broadly,
Bangladesh’s economy and living standards.
I.
IntroductionBrinjal (Solanum melongena L., also known as aubergine or eggplant) is an admired
vegetable crop, grown all over the world, though there is a heavy concentration in Asia.
In 2007, China and India contributed respectively 56 percent and 26 percent of the
world’s production of brinjal. The crop is mainly cultivated on small family farms and is
an important source of cash income for many resource-poor farmers. It is also an
important source of nutrition. Yet, the growth and production of brinjal is – due to a
dozen of insect pest species, among which the most serious and vicious one is the brinjal
shoot and fruit borer – significantly diminished.
Bt brinjal is the genetically modified version of regular brinjal. “Bt” stands for “Bacillus
thuringiensis”, which is a gram positive soil bacterium that contains a protein that is toxic
to a narrow range of insects, including the brinjal shoot and fruit borer, but otherwise
considered to be harmless to the environment by the majority of scientists. Strains of Bt
have been used safely as commercial microbial pesticides.
Based on progress in other countries, a number of Asian countries, including Bangladesh,
have recently developed a set of research programs on genetically modified food crops
with potentially beneficial agronomic traits. In the last few years, the global production of
genetically modified (GM) crops (mostly cotton and corn) has not only increased
dramatically in terms of volume but also spread across countries. As stated in Choudhary
and Gaur (2009, p. i), “in 2007, the twelfth year of commercialization of biotech crops, of
the 23 countries growing 114 million hectares of biotech crops (equivalent to more than
two-thirds of the total arable land of India), 12 were developing countries; and the trend
in favor of developing countries is expected to continue in the second decade, as more
and more developing countries from all three continents in the South embrace biotech
crops.”
This paper reviews the key issues of introducing Bt brinjal in Bangladesh and
summarizes the results of recent research undertaken in Bangladesh on the environmental
safety of Bt brinjal. It builds on the more comprehensive research recently undertaken in
India by Choudhary and Gaur (2009). Genetically modified food crops have the potential
to bump up agricultural productivity in Bangladesh and other countries. However, the
long-term environmental safety of genetically modified crops (also called biotech crops)
remains highly controversial. Despite increasing evidence on the safety of biotech crops,
their production outside a secured experimental area could come with the risk of losing
market access to biotech sensitive importing countries (mostly Europe), not only for the
exports of biotech crops but for all crops of a commercial biotech country. The paper is
structured as follows. The next section (Section II) provides a brief overview of
Bangladesh’s vegetable sector, followed by an overview of brinjal in section III. The
fourth and fifth sections focus then on Bt brinjal and its environmental safety, before the
last section provides some conclusions.
II.
Bangladesh’s Vegetable SectorBangladesh’s economy is extremely dependent on its agricultural sector which accounts
for about 35 percent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) and employs about
two thirds of the country’s labor force (Runge and Ryan, 2004). Sustained government
investment in irrigation facilities, rural infrastructure, agricultural research, and extension
services have helped Bangladeshi farmers to achieve dramatic increases in agricultural
production (Key and Runsten, 1999), though agricultural productivity continues to lack
far behind that of India. The process of agricultural production is underpinned by the
increasing use of agrochemicals and multiple cropping. Significant production
transformation has been achieved and food production has more than doubled since
independence in 1971 (Ali and Hau, 2001). This has helped to feed the country’s growing
population, though food security still remains a major development issue in Bangladesh
(Hoque, 2000).
Rice, wheat, jute, sugarcane, tobacco, oilseeds, pulses and potatoes are Bangladesh’s
principal crops. In the past, before the onset of Bangladesh’s garment sector, jute was
Bangladesh’s main export. The government is attempting to diversify the economy to
avoid heavy reliance on a sector that is highly vulnerable to natural disasters, such as
cyclones, droughts and floods. Producing enough food to sustain Bangladesh’s growing
population is a major goal of the agriculture sector. However, Bangladesh still relies on
imports to meet domestic demands especially during years when yields are inadequate.
Bangladesh is a major importer of wheat as it is part of their staple diet, and imports
about 3.3 million tons annually. Over the last few years, Bangladesh also imported
approximately US$70 million of fresh and dry fruits per year as they are popular items
amongst Bangladeshi consumers (James, 2006).
Table 1: Vegetable-Based Cropping Patterns in Bangladesh
V. Impact and Safety of Bt Brinjal in Bangladesh?Given the many advantages of Bt brinjal reported from studies outside Bangladesh,
Bangladeshi scientists have started to analyze the safety of Bt brinjal. Seeds of Bt brinjal
were imported (with the approval of the Bangladeshi government) from Mahyco Seed
Research Centre, Maharastra Hybrid Seed Company Ltd, Jalna, India. The seed was
sophisticated in an isolated contained field (i.e., greenhouses) at the headquarters of the
Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI) and seven regional agricultural
research stations in Rangpur, Jessore, Mymensingh, Tangail, Bogra, Dinajpur, and
Jamalpur districts. The plots were marked with wire mesh net which was alienated and no
same species of crops were permitted to grow within the 200m isolation distance.
The following trials were ongoing studies taking place in Bangladesh. Further, there is
much experience of non-chemical brinjal cultivation in farmers’ fields by many farmers
practicing organic and Integrated Pest Management (IPM) in the country. Trial results
suggested a sizeable yield increase in Bt brinjal plots. On average the pest force of FSB
was significantly reduced on Bt plots. The average shoot damage as well as the fruit
infestation in Bt hybrids was far lower than that in non-Bt brinjal.
In addition to growth and pest studies, a variety of safety studies were conducted for Bt
brinjal at BARI in order to comply with the Bangladeshi regulatory process. Data from
such studies demonstrate that the protein which is inserted into genes causes no adverse
effects on humans, wild and domesticated animals, birds, fishes and non-target insects,
including beneficial insects. The safety of Bt proteins is attributed to the mode of action,
specificity and digestibility. Scientists continued to conduct rigorous tests to ensure that
Bt brinjal is safe for human consumptions or not. It was found that Bt brinjal is
substantially equivalent to food and feed from non-Bt brinjals.
The safety of Bt brinjal was also tested in various feeding studies (including among
others chicken, cow and fish, see Box 2 below) and no toxicity was detected and no new
allergenic compounds were found due to feeding Bt brinjal. Finally, Bt brinjal fruits were
used to determine whether the Bt protein was present in cooked fruits. The Bt protein was
undetectable in cooked fruits. This study indicates that the Cry1Ac protein in Bt brinjal
fruits is rapidly degraded upon cooking.
Based on these results, a series of consultations and focus group discussions with
scientific, agricultural, and regulatory experts were conducted in Bangladesh in July
2007, focusing on the potential effects of biotechnology improvements to resist biotic and
abiotic stresses. The status of research, agricultural constraints, the potential of
biotechnology, and other issues related to regulatory approval and consumer acceptance
of transgenic crops were discussed with relevant experts. Questionnaires were provided
among the participants in order to elicit subjective estimates of potential yield and input
effects of future new technologies. In parallel, existing national and international studies
of GM technology, productivity constraints, and technology potential were obtained.
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