Agriculture has evolved since the dawn of civilization, first as a mean to guarantee food supply , and then, as a source of family income & improved profitability and finally becoming  the back bone of economies of both Punjab and India. It still needs to evolve further as so far the emphasis has been more on Productivity than on sustainability. The present scenario however, warrants that  development  planning has to be based on carrying capacity so as to link social expectation with ecological capabilities or in other words ensure economic efficiency coupled with  long term sustainability of natural resources base of Punjab .In Punjab, agriculture is started suffering from various limitation like reduced land and water availability, constraints associated with conventional breeding  and increased soil, water, and air quality deterioration due to intensive  use of farm chemicals. 

In this scenario, biotechnology is fast emerging as a very powerful technological force well poised to offer inputs, which can go along way in bringing about a balance between agriculture and environment  

Biotechnology in agriculture refers to the techniques that allow scientists to modify DNA, the genetic material of crop plants and livestock, to enhance their tolerance to pests and diseases, increase yield and improve quality and nutritional value.. It has a wide range of possible applications in agriculture and food. Biotechnology can also bring many benefits to medicine, the environment and industry. 

In India , there is great scope for agri-biotech inputs  and products. During 1999, the actual  consumption of agri-biotech Products including seeds in India has been to the tune of 25670 million rupees, it is expected to rise to 28880 million rupees in 2005 and 78720 in 2010.There are about 50 private Indian seed companies and about 400 organization doing commercial research on Agriculture. As regards R&D leads in the country , the transgenics of rice, brassica, moong , bean , pigeonpea, potato, tomato, cabbage and cauliflower etc. would be completing field assessment and some of them would be ready for large scale production by 2005.Transgenic wheat with more protein content, better quality and also higher lysine content and marker assisted breeding programme are expected to be introduced within next 2-3 years. The work on development of edible vaccines by incorporation of an expression   gene in tomato, cabbage, and banana is in progress  particularly   for cholera, rabies and hepatitis B. This has significant implication foe developing countries like India where immunization against common diseases is difficult and expensive. Hence, genetic modification of crops for production of edible vaccines could make a major difference in time to come. 

 March 26, 2002, marked the beginning of an era in Indian agriculture. That day the government gave the green signal for the commercialisation of the first transgenic, or genetically engineered crop (GEC). It comes in the form of hybrid Bt-cotton, a transgenic cotton variety resistant to American Bollworm (Helicoverpa armigera), which is known to destroy over 50 per cent of the crop in India. The Indian transgenic cotton hybrid has been developed by the Maharashtra Hybrid Seeds Co. Ltd. (Mahyco), a Mumbai-based private company, using the genetically engineered insect-resistant cotton seed and the technology obtained from the American multinational Monsanto Inc.

The approval for the commercial release of Mahyco's Bt-cotton was given by the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC) of the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF), the statutory body set up for approving large- scale (research or commercial) use of genetically engineered organisms (GEOs) following the rules enacted in 1989 under the Environment Protection Act (EPA), 1986. India is now one of the 16 countries where commercial plantation of GECs is permitted. 

Punjab's farmers have turned, in recent years, to cash crops such as sugarcane and cotton. The first never quite took off because of depleted groundwater and the second is doomed for attacks by the dreaded American bollworm. Cotton production in the state is down to 700,000 bales in 2002 from a peak of 2.7 million bales and, according to reports by deppt. According to Punjab Govt. no less than 600 indebted farmers committed suicide in Punjab the  year 2002 following cotton crop failure. It is against this backdrop that Bt cotton, or cotton genetically spliced with toxic genes borrowed from the Bacillus Thuringiensis (Bt), a bacterium that is deadly to the bollworm, enters the picture

The cotton of Punjab which once made it a hero in the country has now virtually ruined the economy of cotton growers of the state. Punjab used to boast of its highest yield level of over 600 kg of lint per hectare which was three times our national average and slightly better than world average for this crop. Such a pride of place for cotton is a thing of the past because our cotton production has been gradually decreasing for the past couple of years with all-time low of 180 kg/hac in 1999. Such a frustrating situation has primarily been created by unexpectedly high incidence of bollworms, especially the Helicoverpa or American sundi. About 50 per cent of all the agro-chemicals are being used on the cotton crop alonein Punjab . It is but natural that under regular exposure to insecticides, the insects are likely to develop resistance to insecticides rendering even these poisons ineffective. Dismayed over this failure of insecticides the cotton growers started making excessive use of pesticides in terms of higher dose and frequency of spray interval. But even with 3-4 times higher than recommended use of pesticides the bollworms continue to devastate the cotton crop as a result of which cotton growers have lost faith in chemical control of insects. In such a situation every farmer will be surprised if somebody talks about a variety which does not require any spray and he would jump to purchase such a variety.

 Realising the importance of biotechnology for the sustenance of agriculture in the state, the Punjab Government has set up a 17-member Biotechnology Council, besides seeking to involve top experts to facilitate the quick transfer of biotechnology for the immediate benefit of the farm sector. The Green Revolution appears to have turned sour as the state does not have much of either biotechnology or agro industry. The state government has already approved an integrated approach for the practical application of biotechnology in agriculture by bringing together the farmer and industry.

The state now proposes to set up an institute for excellence in biotechnology with the support of the Department of Biotechnology of the Union Government by coordinating research activities in various institutions, including Punjab Agricultural University, Guru Nanak Dev University, Panjab University and the Institute of Microbial Technology

The linkage between the farm and industry will be provided through the All-India Biotechnology Association. To facilitate the biotechnology industry, the state government now proposes to offer a suitable piece of land for a biotechnology park at Anandgarh. Besides inviting private industry, public sector undertakings and boards like Markfed, the Punjab Agro Industries Corporation, the Punjab Mandi Board and even the Department of Agriculture will be involved in an attempt to catalyse the biotechnology revolution in the state.

Another redeeming feature has been the proposed development of an integrated project with the support of the World Bank for the cultivation of vegetables and other crops in a specified area in consultation with Punjab Agricultural University. It was decided that private industry would fund this project. The land for the project is to be identified by PAU where farmers will be provided with the best quality of seed and inputs with a buy-back guarantee. The Punjab Biotechnology Council, in consultation with the Department of Food Processing and the Department of Biotechnology, the World Bank and the Biotechnology Association, proposes to set up a demonstration project for catalysing the process of diversification of the cropping pattern to vegetables.

The biotechnology  benefits to agriculture include :- 

Improving Crop Yield

Genetically improved plants (GIPs) have been developed to be more tolerant to disease, weeds insects, and drought and be able to grow in difficult environmental conditions. Considering the devastating impact of pests, weeds and disease on yields, the agronomic and economic benefit when plants have built in tolerance is enormous.Increasing a crop's yield enables us to use less land to produce the same amount or more food. This also allows us to preserve other lands such as native forests and delicate ecosystems for the benefit of the environment and wildlife. Without increasing crop yields more and more non-arable land will be brought into production to feed the growing population. In many cases, this land is unsuitable for long term cultivation and its use will result in environmental degradation, or the destruction of the few remaining wild lands and native forests.

Less Chemical Usage

Biotechnology can also help farmers reduce the amount of pesticides they need to use on crops. For instance, by making crops tolerant to a specific herbicide, weeds can be killed without damaging the crop. The amount of herbicide used per acre of crop can also be reduced relative to regular practices. Insect-tolerant crops not only reduce the volume of insecticide sprayed but also encourage natural and biological control by not affecting the beneficial insects. Insect-tolerant crops can form the basis of extremely effective Integrated Pest Management practices.

Improved Food Quality

Biotechnology can give our food improved quality characteristics. Scientists have the ability to improve the taste, appearance and the nutritional quality of fruits and vegetables.Another advantage created by biotechnology is genetically improving the gene responsible for ripening. For example, delayed-ripening tomatoes reduce the waste that occurs during transport. In some countries, up to 20% of fresh produce is destroyed on the way to market due to unsuitability of these crops for transport. In India, where the food transportation sector is not completely developed and huge losses occur, delayed-ripening fruits and vegetables would benefit consumers living far from agricultural areas.

Environment Friendly

Among the environmental benefits of biotechnology is a reduction in the use of pesticides and herbicides, the prospect of more food production from the same unit of land and more nutritious food produce. In addition, scientists have developed methods utilizing biotechnology to clean up pollution (bioremediation), caused by, for instance, oil spills.