Bangladeshi Bt brinjal farmer speaks out in GMO controversy

[HuckleB]

http://allianceforscience.cornell.edu/blog/bangladeshi-bt-brinjal-farmer-speaks-out-gmo-controversy

"...

Rahman told the BBC that after adopting Bt brinjal he had been able to dramatically reduce his pesticide use, and was both saving money and seeing improved health outcomes as a result. The same farmer was also featured in a New York Times article highlighting the same issues of pesticide use reductions and improved yield and livelihood.

However, after the BBC documentary was aired, anti-GMO campaigners immediately claimed that both the BBC report and the New York Times article were fabrications, and Rahman's crop had in fact failed. These claims were buttressed by reports from a United News of Bangladesh (UNB) journalist who said he had visited Rahman's Bt brinjal fields and found "a significant number of plants dead".

The same UNB reporter had previously published a story claiming that numerous Bt brinjal farmers throughout the country had also suffered failed crops. This report was however challenged by the director-general of the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute, Dr. Md. Rafiqul Islam Mondal, who told media that "the performance of Bt brinjal was better than non-Bt in all districts".

...

Rahman was unambiguous about the success of his Bt brinjal crop, and rejected claims of failure. "In the last 10 years, the amount of yield I received last year, I never received such yield all my life and neither did my neighbors,” he said. “That is why my neighbors are inspired and me, too."

..."

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When will our fellow progressives figure out that the anti-GMO propagandists are despicable? It's just beyond the pale, time after time.