c# - ODP.NET Oracle.ManagedDataAccess causes ORA-12537 network session end of file -

Inspired by one of Emerson's essays, Mathew Arnold, the English poet, wrote in the 19th century about the "seeds of godlike power". He was referring to a human being's great potential for progress, but his happy phrase fits the new miracle seeds that will help India create a "second green revolution". The seeds are a product of biotechnology. They are resistant to pests, and the farmer doesn't need to spray his crop with pesticide. Farmers love them because they don't have to spend on costly pesticides and they raise yields and income by 30 to 50 per cent. Consumers like them because the food is less toxic and more nutritious. Many seeds are also nutritionally enhanced. For example, you won't feel guilty eating the new potatoes because you will get protein in addition to starch in your diet. No wonder, the seeds cover 44.2 million hectares in 13 countries on six continents. Eight of these countries are industrialised and five are developing. In the past five years, genetically improved crops have grown 25 fold in acreage--a dramatic rate of adoption for any new technology. Tragically, India's farmers have not been allowed to experience this miracle. China, our rival, has beaten us in this race as well. The new cottonseed, called Bt cotton, is especially popular because it is resistant to the dreaded bollworm, which attacks 70 per cent of India's cotton crop and destroys 35 to 50 per cent of it every year. Hence, 36 per cent of the US and 10 per cent of Chinese cotton crop is planted with Bt cotton. If our Andhra farmers had used it, their crop would have survived and we might have prevented suicides. Bt cotton is not available to Indian farmers because our regulators have not approved it despite 6 years of successful trials by Maharashtra Hybrid Seed Corporation (Mayco), the seed company. Similarly, Proagro's mustard seeds have been tested to death for 7 years and they have not been yet been approved. Chinese bureaucrats, in contrast, take a more practical approach. They saw that Bt cotton was being extensively used in America and a dozen countries, and it had cleared the rigorous requirements of the US FDA. So, they decided not to re-invent the wheel, but to merely check Bt cotton's bio-safety in their soil and climates. Hence, 18 months after trials, Chinese farmers had begun to enjoy its fruits while Indian farmers were committing suicides. Our two largest cotton growing competitors, the US and China have, thus, taken a lead over us. When global agricultural markets open up--and the day is not far--our rivals will be better positioned because their costs will be lower and their yields higher. As with any breakthrough, genetically improved seeds have plenty of critics, especially in Europe, including Prince Charles. They are creating a scare in people's mind without a shred of scientific evidence. Since most seeds are the discoveries of international companies, there is also the usual anti-MNC prejudice. European NGO's have funded Indian NGOs in order to stop transgenic seeds here and they are spreading plenty of disinformation. They have even taken the Indian government to court for approving the Bt cotton trials. Meanwhile, Professor Nanjundaswamy instigated 3000 farmers in Karnataka on January 3, 2001 and they approoted Mayco's trials in 2 locations. According to scientists, the European stand is emotional and based on unknown future risks and not on data. But these vocal critics have slowed our bureaucrats and made them timid. Fortunately, our bio-safety regulations are in place and our trials are well advanced. If they are not stopped either by obstructive bureaucrats, or eco-terrorists or the courts, the Indian farmer will be able to plant the miracle cotton in the next season, mustard in 2002, potato, tomato, cauliflower and brinjal in 2003. Transgenic wheat is ahead of rice but the farmer won't see it before 2005. Remember, India has only 2 per cent of the world's arable land, 1 per cent of the world's rainfall but 16 per cent of world's people. Indian farm yields are only half or one-third of our competitors. The hybrids of the first green revolution have stopped giving productivity gains. Remember, also, that our first green revolution in the sixties was not an accident. Bold individuals created it--they flew in the new dwarf wheat from Mexico and distributed it to Punjab's farmers. Had they waited for endless trials, our first green revolution would not have happened. In comparison, our second green revolution so far is a sordid tale of apathetic, timid bureaucrats, misguided NGOs and eco-terrorists who are robbing our farmers' future.