According to an article published this month in the journal Nature Biotechnology, Monsanto is facing biopiracy charges in India.
In an unprecedented decision, India’s National Biodiversity
Authority(NBA), a government agency, declared legal action against
Monsanto (and their collaborators) for accessing and using local
eggplant varieties (known as brinjal) to develop their Bt genetically
engineered version1 without prior approval of the competent authorities, which is considered an act of “biopiracy.”
The journal of Nature Biotechnology reported:
“An Indian government agency has agreed to sue the developers of
genetically modified (GM) eggplant for violating India’s Biological
Diversity Act of 2002. India’s National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) is
alleging that the developers of India’s first GM food crop–Jalna-based
Maharashtra Hybrid Seeds Company (Mahyco) partnered with St. Louis–based
seed giant Monsanto and several local universities–used local varieties
to develop the transgenic crop, but failed to gain the appropriate
licenses for field trials. At the same time, activists in Europe are
claiming that patents on conventionally bred plants, including a melon
found in India, filed by biotech companies violate farmers’ rights to
use naturally occurring breeds. Both these pending legal cases could set
important precedents for biopiracy in India and Europe.”
