Context:
India has released the world’s first gene-edited rice varieties developed using CRISPR-Cas9 technology.
- These varieties target salinity tolerance, crucial for climate-resilient agriculture.
- Expected yield improvement: Up to 30%.
Deployment & Timeline
- Genome-edited rice varieties are not yet released but have been identified as promising.
- Seed production stages (breeder, foundation, certified seed) will take 2–4 years.
- Initial rollout through public sector channels like National Seeds Corporation (NSC).
Government Support & Programme
- A ₹500 crore government programme has been launched for genome editing across:
- Cereals, pulses, oilseeds
- Horticulture and livestock
- Focus: Trait-specific, location-specific, and crop-specific improvements (drought, flood, heat tolerance, etc.).
Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) & Farmer Protection
- The government will acquire freedom to operate licenses to address IPR concerns.
- No liability on farmers or consumers.
- Once released, farmers can retain and reuse seeds, reducing dependency on private firms.
Addressing Budget Constraints
- Budget constraints exist but can be mitigated by:
- Convergence across agencies
- Avoiding redundancy
- Promoting institutional synergy for higher impact
