Watson minced no words in questioning the authenticity of the environmentalists who challenged the relevance and development potentialof biotechnology and genetics. ``We cannot speak of regulations without knowing the nature and scope of the new sciences and the problems attached to it'', he said.

Peter Raven, director of Missorie Botanical Garden and Home Secretary of US National Academy of Sciences, said the sustainability of agriculture in large and small holdings is a major issue to be considered in the context of new sciences and food security. The world has lost 25 per cent of the top soil and 20 per cent of the arable land, derived through millions of yeasrs, in the last few years. Over 10,000 kinds of organsims will be lost in the next 10 years. `` We have to develop sustainable, supportive and healthy systems for the future''. This renowned expert of biodiversity finds the answer for the development needs of humanity in new biosciences.

Introduction of large-scale genetic engineering poses several problems but they can be solved systematically and with an eye on human development and social justice,he said.

M S Swaminathan,the world famous agronomist, has no doubt about the immense potential of biotechnology and genetic engineering for ensuring food security to the humanity. It was development of the agricultural sciences that had proved the prophets of doom to be wrong. The growing number of people and animals need enormous quantity of food. India with its comfortable 190 million tonnes can boast of food self sufficiency. But to feed the underfed 250 millions and the thousands of malnourished children also the country would need another 25-30 million tonnes, he said in his overview of the challenges of food and nutrition security in India. The challenge of producing more food can be met only through new scientific developments through biotechnolgy and genetics. However this calls for a precautionary package to address the public concern about them.

Swaminathan categorised the precautionary package into bioethics, biosafety - ensured through national and international protocols, biosurvelliance - to allow or not to allow newvarieties like `Terminator' to a country, food safety - considering toxic and allergic effects, antibiotic resistance etc, consumer choice - food labelling and identification of genetically modified food products, and public information - total transparency. He said even groups or countries that were sceptical about agricultural biotechnology did welcome medical biotechnology and its products. Public education and increased transparency would remove the public apprehension about the new scientific developments, he said.