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China to allocate more resources to genetically-modified crop research
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Saturday, 13 August, 2016, 08 : 00 AM [IST]
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Haikou
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fiogf49gjkf0d fiogf49gjkf0d China will allocate more resources to genetically-modified (GM) crop research and development, according to a five-year plan for science and technology progress published by the State Council.
The plan listed science and technology targets for the period between 2016 and 2020, as well as the government action needed to achieve the proposed results.
China identified GM as an important area on a number of occasions, ordering research and supervision to be improved, the development of a GM food evaluation system and the industrialisation of certain GM food crops.
A GM research project, approved by the State Council in 2008, explored the creation of new GM varieties alongside their application value and proprietary intellectual property rights.
The project was a part of a wider push to ensure the sustainable development of China’s agriculture.
“Since 2008, China has built a GM technology system,” stated an official with the ministry of agriculture. He added that the system covered gene cloning, genetic transformation, new variety breeding and safety evaluation.
The new plan, with its emphasis on innovation, advantages of hybrids and breeding by molecular design, will help elevate GM research to the next level.
“Innovation is extremely important in the industry,” said Zhang Shihuang, researcher, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences.
Agricultural experts had predicted, for example, that the industrialisation of genetically-modified corn would be realised in the next five years, but a suitable breed has yet to be identified. Zhang attributed this to a lack of innovation.
Safety should be priority
GM remains shrouded in controversy due to safety concerns. The new plan revealed that China is taking a prudent attitude towards the research and application of GM crops. Safety, however, has always been, and will always be, put first.
“China has a sound safety evaluation system for genetically-modified crops,” said Guo Anping, a member of the country’s GM crop bio-safety committee and vice-president, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences.
“China’s safety evaluation system on genetically modified crops is the world’s strictest in terms of technical standards and procedures,” said Wu Kongming of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and a member of China’s GM crop bio-safety committee.
Compared to China’s regulation of GM crops over the past five years, which places emphasis on improving the GM organism cultivation and safety evaluation systems, the new plan proposes that a standardised bio-safety evaluation technical system should be established over the following five years to ensure the safety of GM products.
“The safety management of GM organisms must be improved to avoid any risks to people, micro-organisms, animals and plants, as well as the environment,” Guo said.
“From field experiments to application, every procedure concerning GM organisms requires a rigid evaluation and approval process,” he added.
Experts said China should focus on GM research of fields that can solve agriculture problems, such as insect resistance, water scarcity as well as high yield and high quality.
For GM crops, China currently only allows insect-resistant cotton and anti-viral papaya for commercial purposes to be planted.
For instance, China has cultivated 147 species of GM insect-resistant cotton, which has helped reduce pesticide consumption by 4,00,000 tonnes, saving 45 billion yuan ($6.78 billion).
“China released a GM crop roadmap, giving priority to the development of non-edible cash crops,” said Liao Xiyuan, an official with the ministry of agriculture (MOA), in April.
“Next in line are indirectly edible and edible crops. This reflects China’s prudent attitude to GM crops,” said Liao.
Call for support, supervision
Although China has made discoveries, especially with regards to GM technology, it still has a long way to go in the industrialisation of GM products.
A total of 28 countries around the world planted GM crops. China was the sixth largest GM crop grower in 2015, following the United States, Brazil, Argentina, India and Canada, according to a study by the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA).
GM researchers said the new plan was inspiring but lacked a general framework, and detailed policies were needed to ensure implementation.
Agriculture officials hope the plan will improve GM crop safety. “The unauthorised sale and planting of GM crops and field trials are punishable offences,” said Liao.
(Source: Xinhua)
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