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The Karnataka Agriculture Commission submitted three short-term reports. On rationale for testing Bt.Cotton, agricultural biotechnology, and improving rice production efficiency and role of hybrid rice. Bt.cotton had scientifically examined the evidence about the Bt.cotton hybrids and recommended that the State take up the testing under the provisions of the Department of Bio-technology. The area under cotton had come down from 12 lakh hectares to about six lakh hectares, mainly due to pest problems, plant protection costs and even crop failures. There were no pest resistant cotton varieties coming from conventional breeding efforts. Biotechnology provided a solution to the problem through Bt. Cotton hybrids. The Government would recommend to the Centre to allow commercial production of Bt.cotton next year in Karnataka, clarifying the difference between terminator technology and transgenic technology. As of now 50% of the total pesticides consumed in the agriculture sector was accounted for by cotton and that worked out to Rs. 200 crores in the State. With regard to its second report on biotechnology, the commission has recommended that the Government recognize biotechnology as an acceptable and powerful system of research and promote its adoption in agriculture. Setting up a common Agriculture Biotechnology Research Team (ABRT); setting up an Agri-Biotech Advisory Group; ensuring adherence to bio-safety measures; developing biotechnology corridor and enlisting the support of NRIs. On improving rice productivity and role of hybrids. The strategy has to be to make farmers more efficient, develop wider options for diversification, and introduce greater dynamism into the farm sector. It is possible to increase rice yields by 20 to 30% with the present production technologies and varieties. There was need to "prepare the farmer" to adapt himself to the changes that were taking place in the agricultural sector. The agricultural universities had a major role in this direction. |
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