The Coalition for a GM-Free India has recently voiced serious concerns regarding the field trials of two new genome-edited rice varieties developed by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). These varieties, named Pusa DST-1 and DRR Dhan 100 (Kamala), have been the subject of scrutiny due to questions raised about the scientific process and the way their trial results have been presented.
The Coalition points to ICAR’s Annual Progress Reports from 2023 and 2024, which are part of the All India Coordinated Research Project on Rice (AICRPR). They believe that some of the reported findings and conclusions do not fully align with the detailed data available to the public. Specifically, the Coalition claims that Pusa DST-1 did not consistently show significant yield improvements in the trials. For DRR Dhan 100 (Kamala), the concern is that it was evaluated using only selected data from a limited number of locations.
These issues, according to the Coalition, cast doubt on the transparency and the interpretation of the data. Activist Kavitha Kuruganti has emphasised that such matters require thorough examination to maintain public trust in agricultural research and development.
In response to these concerns, the Coalition for a GM-Free India is calling for a transparent and independent review of ICAR’s genome-editing trials. They want the data verification process to be open and clear. Furthermore, they are asking for better communication with the public about the methods used in these trials and the results obtained. The group also suggests that it is important to strengthen the safety rules and oversight for future research involving genome-edited crops. This, they believe, will ensure that scientific integrity is upheld and that farmers’ interests are protected.
So far, neither ICAR nor the Ministry of Agriculture has issued an official statement in response to these concerns. The situation highlights the ongoing debate about new agricultural technologies and the importance of open communication and robust scientific review in the farming sector.