Scientists at a workshop in one of Indias biggest gene research centres in Patencheru in southern Andhra Pradesh state said China and India accounted for more than half the developing world's expenditure on plant biotechnology.

Margarita Escaler of the US-based International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-Biotech Applications said the Asian giants were putting the emphasis on genetically modified (GM) seeds and technology to ensure their billion-plus populations have enough to eat.

"There are around 50 public research units in India and they make investments of 15 million dollars per year while private spending in India on agri-biotech research amounts to over 10 million dollars annually," said Escaler.

"In China, funding for agri-biotech research comes entirely from the government and China is only second now to the United States in research investment. China invested 112 million dollars in biotechnology research in 1999 - that figure will grow by 400 percent in 2005," she forecast.

At the moment, India has not approved any genetically modified food for commercialisation or consumption. But Indian state-run laboratories are pumping millions of dollars into developing 22 different food items ranging from protein-rich potatoes, rice to groundnut.

Scientists expect the GM groundnut to get Indian government approval for commercialisation by 2007. Groundnut yields the staple edible oil in India. The shifts in China and India appear to be at odds with the widespread rejection of GM technology in many other countries, particularly in Europe.

Biotech advocates say genetic modification boosts output, cuts costs and can improve nutrition. But critics including environmental group Greenpeace fear the environmental impact and worry GM foods may have long-term effects on health.

"There's no doubt Indian agriculture is in a state of crisis," Greenpeace spokeswoman Divya Raghunandan said.

But she added it was "laughable" that the government was looking at genetic engineering as the solution.

"We face the very real risk of contamination of non-genetically modified crops during field trials and there'll be irreversible impacts on our biodiversity," she said.

The International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics based in Patencheru, near Andhra Pradeshs state capital Hyderabad, is likely to give the world its first GM groundnut. China also has an active groundnut breeding programme.

"We have completed successful contained field trails for GM groundnuts and we should get permission from GEAC next wet season in 2005 to field test our GM groundnut in farmers fields," Dyno Keatinge, deputy director general, the institute's told AFP.

"We are eventually looking to introduce this GM groundnut in several countries beyond India including Kenya and South Africa. But we will follow the biosafety regulations and laws in each of those countries," Keatinge.

Scientists in China are working on more than 50 plant species, with a wide-ranging list of GM food plants. Scientists say India's and China's experiences proves that GM crops have a role to play in poorer countries.

"Biotech seeds are potential carriers of state-of-the-art technologies to the remotest part of the country irrespective of the size of the farm and availability of infrastructure. It can once again usher in a green revolution in India," said Bhagirath Choudhary, national coordinator of International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-Biotech Applications's South Asia office.

India's "green revolution" between 1967 and 1978 is credited with making the country self-sufficient in food through the use of seeds that were more genetically resistant to pests.

The farming sector is vital to economic growth with more than 60 percent of India's more than one billion population depending on agriculture for a living.

Both India and China have pledged to ease red tape surrounding clearance of biotechnologies.

"It's scientifically necessary that these GM crops undergo rigorous biosafety and risk assessment," said T.V Ramanaiah from India's ministry of science and technology.

"India is evolving a simple, transparent regulatory system to rapidly speed up by the approval or rejection of GM technologies," he said.

In neighbouring China, of 353 applications between 1996 and 2000 for approval of field trials, environmental releases or commercialisation of GM plants and animals, 141 were given the go-ahead by the Chinese Office of Genetic Engineering Safety Administration.

Transgenic rice resistant to three major pests - stem borer, planthopper and bacterial leaf blight - have passed two years of environmental release trials. This could hold the key to food security for the rice growing countries in Asia, say scientists.

All rights reserved. � 2004 Agence France-Presse. Sections of the information displayed on this page (dispatches, photographs, logos) are protected by intellectual property rights owned by Agence France-Presse. As a consequence, you may not copy, reproduce, modify, transmit, publish, display or in any way commercially exploit any of the content of this section without the prior written consent of Agence France-Presse.

Related Links
SpaceDaily
Search SpaceDaily
Subscribe To SpaceDaily Express

Thanks for being here; We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain. With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords. Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year. If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor $5 Billed Once credit card or paypal		SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter $5 Billed Monthly paypal only