By: Thomas Gare
May 2020 - Fictional narrative reflection on Bt Cotton
Part I
In May of 2004, my family and I decided to vacation in India to experience the culture of a different country. Additionally, my mother had always wanted to visit Koyna Wildlife Sanctuary, in Maharashtra (Central India) to photograph the Indian bison and elusive sloth bears. We read in a travel magazine that spring is a good time to see the animals lingering near bodies of water [1].
Our flight from San Francisco to Singapore took 16 hours. We then boarded a 5-hour connecting flight to Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport in Mumbai. Our final destination was a luxury hotel in Satara, approximately 50 miles east of Koyna Wildlife Sanctuary and 150 miles south of the Mumbai. A bus service shuttled my family and I to the hotel. We planned to spend one night at the hotel before renting a car and driving to the sanctuary.
Driving through the countryside was a pleasant experience. We watched the local cotton farmers sow cotton seeds in their fields in anticipation of the coming harvest season. The driver of the bus informed us that the farmers were eager to plant their seeds. Two years prior, in 2002, they purchased a new type of seed called ‘Bt cotton’ from the US-based Monsanto. Although the seeds were expensive, the 2002 harvest was successful, and the farmers were hoping for similar successful years.
The bus driver repeated what he had heard
from a Monsanto salesman. He told us that the high upfront cost of the seeds should be offset by a reduced demand for chemical pesticides and reduced losses from bollworm infestation. We watched out the window of the vehicle as the farmers sowed their new seed. They looked happy, and the local villages were bustling with people and street vendors. Everything seemed right with the world.
Arriving at the hotel in Satara, we were served a dinner of roti, dal, and a mixed green salad. The staff shared some tips regarding local tourist attractions and popular areas to view bears and bison within the sanctuary. We thanked the staff for their advice and went to bed, eagerly anticipating the activities of the following day.
The next morning, we rented a car and drove two and a half hours west to Koyna Wildlife Sanctuary. Our new hotel was located near the boundary of the sanctuary. After checking in, we purchased a map of the area and hopped back in the car. We made sure to mark the locations which were recommended by the hotel staff the night before. There was not enough time to search for wildlife before dark, so we simply made a plan for the next day’s adventures and returned to the hotel.
Upon our return the next day, our primary goal was to locate a herd of Indian bison or a lone sloth bear. We eventually found our way back to a large watering hole and waited in the distance for one to appear.
After eight hours of waiting, seeing nothing but mosquitos and other tourists, we decided to call it a day. As we started to turn the car around and drive back, we began to hear the sound of clicking camera shutters. The other tourists were all facing the same direction, towards one stand of trees about 50 yards away. We stopped the car and walked over to the other people. As we rounded a bend in the road, we instantly spotted the animals. Three adult bison and two calves were emerging from a tree line and slowly walking towards the water. My family and I stood in awe of the magnificent creatures. For the next hour, we watched the animals drink from the watering hole and graze the surrounding grass. In that moment, we decided to return to the park in the future to relive this amazing experience.
Part II
Ten years later, in 2014, we returned to India for a second visit. Our first vacation to Maharashtra was so enjoyable that we deemed it worthy of a return trip. In planning our activities, we booked the same hotel in Satara and planned to search for sloth bears and Indian bison in Koyna Wildlife Sanctuary once again. This time, however, was very different.
Our flight took us from San Francisco to Singapore. After waiting three hours for our connecting flight, we boarded the plane to Mumbai. Although this would be our second visit to India, we were just as excited to experience the food, culture and scenery as the first trip.
Landing at Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, everything seemed normal. The same bus service picked us up outside the airport to drive us to Satara. Although the driver was different, he drove the same route.
Driving through the Maharashtra countryside 10 years after our first visit, my family and I were shocked. The villages and people, once happy and energetic, now appeared to lack them. The atmosphere felt nothing like our first visit. Cotton farms which were once green and well-maintained were now shriveled and dry, with some appearing abandoned. Farmers moved more slowly, as if they felt their efforts were futile.
After the bus dropped us off at the hotel, I walked back to the nearest farming village. Luckily, one of the older village children spoke broken English and I was able to ask her why the surrounding cotton fields were in such poor condition. Through a thick accent, she told me all about the recent decline of her family’s cotton plantation.
The young girl told me that her father committed suicide in 2010. After receiving a loan to purchase a new type of cotton seed, he realized that he may never be able to repay his debt. The new seeds, called Bt cotton, were successful during their first two years of use; however, they soon began to fail. Pesticide use initially declined as the plants deterred bollworm infestation. But in the absence of bollworms, new pests took over. Farmers were required to purchase new types of pesticides for their crops, thus increasing their pre-existing debt.
Additionally, the young girl’s father did not speak the language printed on the seed packages. He did not realize that the seeds lose vigor after only a few generations and then require new seeds to be purchased [2]. If he had known this, he would never have purchased the seeds in the first place.
To make matters worse, the farmer attempted to remove the Bt cotton plants and reintroduce the native variety. Unfortunately, however, the Bt cotton plants released toxins into the soil which prohibited other plants from growing [3]. It was at this point that the girl’s father took his own life. Other farmers in the village did the same. She told me that her mother has been struggling ever since.
My family and I were heartbroken by the news. We also felt saddened by the needlessness of the situation. Had Indian farmers not been scammed, the community may still be intact. If not for Monsanto, the girl’s father may still be alive.
Sources:
[1] “Complete Guide to Koyna Wildlife Sanctuary, Maharashtra.” Trans India Travels, Trans India Travels, 28 May 2018, www.transindiatravels.com/maharashtra/koyna-wildlife-sanctuary/.
[2] Ware, Daxton. Biotechnology and Insect Pest Management. ED-Tech Press, 2019. Indian Agricultural Research Institute.
[3] Yasin, Sanaullah, et al. “Impact of Bt-Cotton on Soil Microbiological and Biochemical Attributes.” Plant Production Science, vol. 19, no. 4, 2 June 2016, pp. 458–467.
May 2020 - Fictional narrative reflection on Bt Cotton
Part I
In May of 2004, my family and I decided to vacation in India to experience the culture of a different country. Additionally, my mother had always wanted to visit Koyna Wildlife Sanctuary, in Maharashtra (Central India) to photograph the Indian bison and elusive sloth bears. We read in a travel magazine that spring is a good time to see the animals lingering near bodies of water [1].
Our flight from San Francisco to Singapore took 16 hours. We then boarded a 5-hour connecting flight to Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport in Mumbai. Our final destination was a luxury hotel in Satara, approximately 50 miles east of Koyna Wildlife Sanctuary and 150 miles south of the Mumbai. A bus service shuttled my family and I to the hotel. We planned to spend one night at the hotel before renting a car and driving to the sanctuary.
Driving through the countryside was a pleasant experience. We watched the local cotton farmers sow cotton seeds in their fields in anticipation of the coming harvest season. The driver of the bus informed us that the farmers were eager to plant their seeds. Two years prior, in 2002, they purchased a new type of seed called ‘Bt cotton’ from the US-based Monsanto. Although the seeds were expensive, the 2002 harvest was successful, and the farmers were hoping for similar successful years.
The bus driver repeated what he had heard
 |
| Cotton plant (Source: US Department of Agriculture) |
Arriving at the hotel in Satara, we were served a dinner of roti, dal, and a mixed green salad. The staff shared some tips regarding local tourist attractions and popular areas to view bears and bison within the sanctuary. We thanked the staff for their advice and went to bed, eagerly anticipating the activities of the following day.
The next morning, we rented a car and drove two and a half hours west to Koyna Wildlife Sanctuary. Our new hotel was located near the boundary of the sanctuary. After checking in, we purchased a map of the area and hopped back in the car. We made sure to mark the locations which were recommended by the hotel staff the night before. There was not enough time to search for wildlife before dark, so we simply made a plan for the next day’s adventures and returned to the hotel.
Upon our return the next day, our primary goal was to locate a herd of Indian bison or a lone sloth bear. We eventually found our way back to a large watering hole and waited in the distance for one to appear.
After eight hours of waiting, seeing nothing but mosquitos and other tourists, we decided to call it a day. As we started to turn the car around and drive back, we began to hear the sound of clicking camera shutters. The other tourists were all facing the same direction, towards one stand of trees about 50 yards away. We stopped the car and walked over to the other people. As we rounded a bend in the road, we instantly spotted the animals. Three adult bison and two calves were emerging from a tree line and slowly walking towards the water. My family and I stood in awe of the magnificent creatures. For the next hour, we watched the animals drink from the watering hole and graze the surrounding grass. In that moment, we decided to return to the park in the future to relive this amazing experience.
Part II
Ten years later, in 2014, we returned to India for a second visit. Our first vacation to Maharashtra was so enjoyable that we deemed it worthy of a return trip. In planning our activities, we booked the same hotel in Satara and planned to search for sloth bears and Indian bison in Koyna Wildlife Sanctuary once again. This time, however, was very different.
Our flight took us from San Francisco to Singapore. After waiting three hours for our connecting flight, we boarded the plane to Mumbai. Although this would be our second visit to India, we were just as excited to experience the food, culture and scenery as the first trip.
Landing at Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, everything seemed normal. The same bus service picked us up outside the airport to drive us to Satara. Although the driver was different, he drove the same route.
Driving through the Maharashtra countryside 10 years after our first visit, my family and I were shocked. The villages and people, once happy and energetic, now appeared to lack them. The atmosphere felt nothing like our first visit. Cotton farms which were once green and well-maintained were now shriveled and dry, with some appearing abandoned. Farmers moved more slowly, as if they felt their efforts were futile.
The young girl told me that her father committed suicide in 2010. After receiving a loan to purchase a new type of cotton seed, he realized that he may never be able to repay his debt. The new seeds, called Bt cotton, were successful during their first two years of use; however, they soon began to fail. Pesticide use initially declined as the plants deterred bollworm infestation. But in the absence of bollworms, new pests took over. Farmers were required to purchase new types of pesticides for their crops, thus increasing their pre-existing debt.
Additionally, the young girl’s father did not speak the language printed on the seed packages. He did not realize that the seeds lose vigor after only a few generations and then require new seeds to be purchased [2]. If he had known this, he would never have purchased the seeds in the first place.
To make matters worse, the farmer attempted to remove the Bt cotton plants and reintroduce the native variety. Unfortunately, however, the Bt cotton plants released toxins into the soil which prohibited other plants from growing [3]. It was at this point that the girl’s father took his own life. Other farmers in the village did the same. She told me that her mother has been struggling ever since.
My family and I were heartbroken by the news. We also felt saddened by the needlessness of the situation. Had Indian farmers not been scammed, the community may still be intact. If not for Monsanto, the girl’s father may still be alive.
Sources:
[1] “Complete Guide to Koyna Wildlife Sanctuary, Maharashtra.” Trans India Travels, Trans India Travels, 28 May 2018, www.transindiatravels.com/maharashtra/koyna-wildlife-sanctuary/.
[2] Ware, Daxton. Biotechnology and Insect Pest Management. ED-Tech Press, 2019. Indian Agricultural Research Institute.
[3] Yasin, Sanaullah, et al. “Impact of Bt-Cotton on Soil Microbiological and Biochemical Attributes.” Plant Production Science, vol. 19, no. 4, 2 June 2016, pp. 458–467.
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