COALITION FOR A GM-FREE INDIA

Coalition for a GM-Free India

Invites you to a Media Briefing on 10 years of Bt Cotton the hype and the truth
3.00PM, Tuesday, 20th March, 2012 Indian Women's Press Corps (IWPC), # 5, Windsor Place, New Delhi
To, The Chief Reporter/ Head, News Bureau, Bt Cotton, a product of genetic engineering of cotton (one of the most controversial and hyped agricultural technologies) was allowed into India in 2002, and to be precise, officially on March 26th, 2002. And throughout these 10 years, we have had various agencies, both from the government and the biotech industry (unfortunately, some regulators too!) talking about the unqualified success of Bt Cotton. The Government seems to believe that genetic modification is the solution to our food security issues and the recently-released State of Agriculture report 2011-12 is proof of that. But is this the truth? If so, why is there a crisis of an unprecedented nature witnessed in the Cotton belt? Why are farmer suicides continuing unabated in this belt? What lies unanalysed? Towards what end? We cordially invite you to join us in a Media Briefing organized by the Coalition for a GM-Free India on 20th of March 2012 at 3.00 p.m. at Womens Press Corps, #5 Windsor Place, New Delhi on the subject. This media briefing will present facts and figures to expose the hype and present the truth with regard to ten years of Bt Cotton cultivation in India. The press conference will be addressed by Kishor Tiwari of Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti, Vijay Pratap of Kissan Swaraj Sampark Kendra, Sridhar Radhakrishnan of the Coalition for a GM-Free India, and Kiran Vissa of the Alliance for Sustainable and Holistic Agriculture (ASHA).

For more information, Contact : Pankaj Bhushan, Co-Convener - 09472999999 Renu Singh, Coordinator - 09868383057

Coalition for a GM-free India A-124/6, First Floor, Katwaria Sarai, New Delhi 110 016, Phone/Fax: 011-26517814