Misconceptions about Bt brinjal

The letter of Samshad Nowreen published in your column on November 1 needs correction on several points. Firstly, it is not true that most of the Bt brinjal plants grown by farmers in Bangladesh in the recent season wilted and died. Many farmers had an excellent crop, and 100 farmers are due to receive seeds in the next distribution -- many more are reportedly eager to do so. Nor is it remotely true that Bt brinjal is an “invasive plant” which somehow mysteriously changes the “chemical composition of the soil.” Bt brinjal is just like any other brinjal, with the single exception that it requires little to no toxic pesticides to grow. Those who grow and eat Bt brinjal are therefore subjected to less exposure to pesticide toxins than those who grow the conventional alternative, which is why the government of Bangladesh is distributing this important crop. Bt or Bacillus thuringiensis, naturally originates from a soil bacterium which is present everywhere around the world for thousands of years. Bt brinjal is toxic only for fruit and shoot borer caterpillar which is the main pest. Humans and indeed all other animals are not affected by the Bt protein involved, which is known to scientists as Cry1Ac. Cry proteins have been extensively tested by scientists for two decades, and used in large amounts of food and crops in North and South America, Europe and Asia that are consumed by people. Bt brinjal will actually reduce farmers' and consumers' exposure to pesticides by reducing the use of insecticides, many of which are genuinely toxic and cause grave health hazard.

Md. Arif Hossain
Lead, Bangladesh Alliance for Science & Visiting Fellow, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY