On the basis of the above passage, the following assumptions have been made: 1. The issue of the effects of natural calamities on agriculture is not given due consideration by GM technology companies. 2. In the long run, GM technology will not be able to solve agricultural problems arising due to global warming. Which of the above assumptions is/are valid?

Passage

What stands in the way of the widespread and careful adoption of ‘Genetic Modification (GM)’ technology is an ‘Intellectual Property Rights’ regime that seeks to create private monopolies for such technologies. If GM technology is largely corporate-driven, it seeks to maximize profits and that too in the short run. That is why corporations make major investments for herbicide-tolerant and pest-resistant crops. Such properties have only a short window, as soon enough, pests and weeds will evolve to overcome such resistance. This suits the corporations. The National Farmers Commission pointed out that priority must be given in genetic modification to the incorporation of genes that can help impart resistance to drought, salinity, and other stresses."

QUESTION

CSAT

Medium

Comprehension

Prelims 2019

On the basis of the above passage, the following assumptions have been made:

The issue of the effects of natural calamities on agriculture is not given due consideration by GM technology companies.
In the long run, GM technology will not be able to solve agricultural problems arising due to global warming.

Which of the above assumptions is/are valid?

Select an option to attempt

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct. The passage states that GM technology is largely corporate-driven, prioritizing profit through herbicide-tolerant and pest-resistant crops. It does not explicitly mention natural calamities like drought and salinity being prioritized by these companies. The National Farmers Commission's suggestion to prioritize genes for resistance to stresses like drought and salinity implies that this is not currently the focus.

Statement 2 is incorrect. The passage mentions that pests and weeds will evolve to overcome the resistance provided by GM crops, leading to short-term effectiveness. However, it does not specifically address agricultural problems arising from global warming or claim that GM technology cannot address these problems in the long run.