Multinational bio agriculture giant Monsanto, the largest producer of GMO seeds and related chemicals has admitted to The Hindu, India’s national newspaper, that it’s controversial cotton farm pesticide “Bt Cotton” actually doesn’t work.

After years of claiming that it does work and there’s no evidence to suggest it doesn’t, they’ve only admitted to the product’s failure after introducing their second generation product called Bollgard II, which they’re quick to get all farmers using. But even then it may prove ineffective.

Agricultural scientists and activists say Monsanto’s advice is “ridiculous”. The Bollgard II product has no additional toxin to combat pink bollworm, says G.V. Ramanjaneyulu of the Centre for Sustainable Agriculture. It is simply that as a newer product, Bollgard II will take longer for the pest to develop resistance.

According to the Institute of Science in Society:
A scientific study carried out by Navdanya, compared the soil of fields where Bt-cotton had been planted for 3 years with adjoining fields with non GMO cotton or other crops. The region covered included Nagpur, Amravati and Wardha of Vidharbha which accounts for highest GMO cotton planting in India, and the highest rate of farmers suicides (4000 per year).

In 3 years, Bt-cotton has reduced the population of Actinomycetes by 17%. Actinomycetes are vital for breaking down cellulose and creating humus.

Bacteria were reduced by 14%. The total microbial biomass was reduced by 8.9%.

Vital soil beneficial enzymes which make nutrients available to plants have also been drastically reduced. Acid Phosphatase which contributes to uptake of phosphates was reduced by 26.6%. Nitrogenase enzymes which help fix nitrogen were reduced by 22.6%.

At this rate, in a decade of planting with GM cotton, or any GM crop with Bt genes in it, could lead to total destruction of soil organisms, leaving dead soil unable to produce food.

(Monsanto is of course the company behind the controversial Codex Alimentiarius and Genetically Modified foods.)

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