Context: Recently, Minister for Science & Technology, Health & Family Welfare and Earth Sciences and Minister of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare and Rural Development & Panchayati Raj released ‘Guidelines for Evaluation of Nano-based Agri-input and food products in India’.

• The Guidelines have been prepared jointly by Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Ministry of Science and Technology, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare (M/o A&FW) and Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare through concerted Inter-Ministerial efforts coordinated by DBT.
• The formulation of these ‘Guidelines’ is one of the most important steps for delineating quality, safety and efficacy assessment of the novel nano-formulations which can be commercialized.

Key Points
These guidelines apply to the following two categories of products: 

• Agri-input products in the nano form of finished formulation as well as active ingredient(s) (AI) of a new material (inorganic/organic/composite) dimension that is intended to be used in agriculture and allied sectors.
• Agri-products in the nano form of finished food formulations, finished feed formulations, finished dairy formulations, food/feed formulations from marine resources, nano carriers for nutraceuticals delivery, nano processing aids, nanocomposites for food packaging and nano sensors for food/feed packaging, food/feed safety applications and for dairy products safety applications.

Significance of the guidelines

• These guidelines are aimed at assisting in making policy decisions by providing information on the existing regulations for nano-based products in agriculture and food and also to ensure quality, safety and efficacy of the targeted products.
• These guidelines would help policy makers and regulators to frame effective provisions for future novel nano-based products in the agri-input and food sectors of India.
• Compared to bulk form of chemical inputs in crops, use of nano-nutrients can reduce nutrient run-off into ground and surface water and thus can reduce environmental pollution.
• Encourage the Indian innovators and industries to develop and commercialize new nano-based formulations and products in these sectors.

Key Definition as per the guidelines

• Nanomaterial (NM): Material that ranges in size from 1 to 100 nm at least in one dimension or any materials that possess improved properties because of the effect of dimension(s), even if these dimension fall outside the nanoscale range, up to 1000 nm.
• Nano-agri-input product (NAIP): Agricultural input preparation containing NMs intended for applications on crop for the purpose of farming.
• Nano-agri product (NAP): Agricultural preparation containing NMs for consumption or application in food/feed and their supplements.
• Scientific Rationale Needed to manufacture NAIP/NAPs: The rationale underlying manufacturing of NAIPs and NAPs should be specified with reference to their claimed advantages in comparison to conventional products.
• Provide assistance on specific requirements for NAIPs and NAPs: General requirements as specified in the provisions of CIB&RC (Central Insecticides Board & Registration Committee), Fertilizer Control Order (FCO), FSSAI and Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) will be applicable for any new NAIP/NAPs.

It also provides guidelines on

• General storage stability requirements
• Safety Assessment of Manufactured NAIPs and NAPs
• Provide the list of information which is required before the evaluation of NAIP/NAPs

How nanotechnology can aid in Agriculture?

• Nanotechnology is a rapidly evolving field with the potential to take forward the agriculture and food industry with new tools which promise to increase food production in a sustainable manner and to protect crops from pests.
• Nanocapsules can enable effective penetration of herbicides, chemical fertilizers, and genes into the targeted part of the plant, ensuring a slow and constant release of the necessary substance to the plants with minimised environmental pollution.
• Nanosensors and delivery systems can allow for precision farming through the efficient use of natural resources like water, nutrients, chemicals etc., and also detect the plant viruses and soil nutrient levels.
• Nano-barcodes and nano-processing could also be used to monitor the quality of agriculture produce.
• Nanoemulsions can be used to reduce bacteria on produce.
• Hybrid polymers can be used in packaging and to reduce spoilage of produce.
• Nanofertilizers, which are modified fertilizers synthesized by chemical, physical, or biological methods using nanotechnology to improve their attributes and composition – can be used to enhance the productivity of crops.