'Safety issue should be discussed before marketing GM crops'

The debate on genetically modified (GM) crops was yet to reach a specific conclusion and safety issues should be discussed before marketing them.

"We should put sentiment aside in case of marketing or use of genetically modified crops. It should always be guided by the observations of science," director of the International Food & Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), USA, Dr Kwadwo Asenso Okyere told reporters here.

"The debate is not full about the Bt brinjal and safety issues should be discussed. We are not aware about the type of danger involved for consumers of Bt brinjal. Let us get the evidence first then a decision can be taken on its consumption," Okyere said.

Later giving the key note address at a three-day International Seminar on Agriculture Education and Knowledge Management, he said, China did better in managing hunger and poverty then India because its growth came from agriculture and India’s growth was mainly from industry sectors.

Stating that the difference between the rich and poor in India was much more than China, he said, backward and developing countries were facing major challenge in providing food security to the people.