4.   Choice of Research Problems :

• Research and extension systems should be sensitive to the biodiversity conservation and socio-economic contexts of our composite agrarian system.
    

• Biotechnological applications should be viewed comprehensively. Both r-DNA and non-r-DNA applications such as fermentation, bio-processing, bio-pesticides, bio-fertilizers, tissue-culture, micro-propagation, and related technological components which are important for Indian agriculture including animal husbandry and fisheries should be viewed as integral components of the planning and promotion of biotechnological applications in agriculture.  
    

• Public investment in the area of biotechnology, particularly with reference to recombinant DNA technology, should be to address problems, which are socially and ecologically relevant. Diversified farming systems which can help provide much needed macro- and micro-nutrients to children and adults from locally adapted crops, including those which are underutilized presently, like millets, legumes, tuber crops and leafy vegetables should be fostered. Nutrition security at the level of each individual should be an important consideration in the design of farming systems. A food based and not a drug-based approach is needed to overcome hidden hunger caused by deficiency in the diet of micronutrients such as iron, zinc, iodine and Vitamin A.
    

• Viable alternatives available for meeting the food/feed and nutritional needs should be viewed comprehensively before resorting to recombinant DNA technology.
   

• There should be an equal thrust to develop both GM varieties and GM hybrids in priority crops. The varieties, in contrast to hybrids, are preferred by small farmers because they can use their own farm-saved seeds for at least 3-4 years. In the case of hybrids, research on the introduction of genetic factors for apomixis should be supported, so that resource poor farmers can derive benefit from hybrid vigour without having to buy expensive hybrid seeds every crop season. Public-good research should also cover under-utilized or “orphan crops” like millets, legumes and tuber crops cultivated in dry farming and fragile environments. Arid and hill zone crops need attention. These often serve as “life-saving crops” under conditions of drought or other natural calamities.

Such areas of biotechnological applications, which can reduce employment and impinge on the livelihood of rural families, should be avoided. Breeding for herbicide tolerance, for example, may have low priority on this account in several parts of India where there are large numbers of landless labour families. The priorities will have to be determined both on the basis of agro-climatic and socio-economic factors, region by region.