Starting in 1993, it has been over 15 years since Gene Campaign, headed by Dr Suman Sahai, has been working to empower local communities to retain control over their genetic resources for ensuring food and livelihood security. Dr Sahai through Gene Campaign has been involved in the fight against the patents granted on Basmati rice, at the national and international level, and was the first to expose the existence of the turmeric patent. The group also campaigned for a law to protect India's biodiversity and provided the first draft of Biodiversity legislation in 1997, a law that was finally passed in 2002. Gene Campaign and Dr Sahai led the national campaign against seed patents and played a key role in the development and passage of the Farmers Rights legislation in 2001.

On the introduction of Genetically Modified (GM) crops in India, Dr Sahai has been asking for greater technical competence, transparency and public participation in the regulatory process dealing with GM crops. Gene Campaign seeks accountability of the regulatory systems that are in place today. The group believes that unless the regulatory system becomes more competent, transparent and accountable, the safety of GM products cannot be ensured. Till the system improves, there should be a moratorium on commercial release of GM crops in the country. Dr Sahai spoke to Shalini Yog of HBF on a range of issues concerning Indian agriculture and related issues of food security.

Download the full interview.