Bangladesh's genetically modified eggplants

Opponents are afraid the crops are harmful to both humans and the environment, although scientific evidence to support those claims has not been found.

Opponents also worry that genetically modified crops will enable large agricultural companies to control the lives of small farmers.

Proponents say genetic engineering can make agriculture more sustainable.

It also increases crop yields, raising the overall income of farmers around the world. The resistance to genetic engineering in Western countries is costing lives in the developing world, they argue.

Shahjahan is a landless farmer. Every season, he rents around half a hectare of land from his father-in-law. He hopes to earn enough money to buy a piece of land someday and build upon it a house for his family.

Shahjahan uses half the land to cultivate rice, the staple crop of the country. On the remaining land, he grows vegetables like cauliflower, beans and eggplant. Eggplant is one of the most widely consumed vegetables in Bangladesh.

With 70 million farmers, agriculture is one of the most important sectors in the country. After China and India, Bangladesh is the third largest vegetable producer in Asia.

Although agriculture in Bangladesh is small-scale, farmers use synthetic fertiliser and pesticides copiously. Shahjahan's field is littered with torn pesticide sacks.

When spraying, Shahjahan covers his hair to prevent it from sticking together. His mouth and arms, however, remain unprotected. If business is good, Shahjahan pays a professional to do the spraying for him.

This eggplant is the first GMO which has been specifically developed for farmers in developing countries.

The crop was originally intended for the Indian market, but activists managed to convince the government not to introduce it. In 2014, the Bangladeshi agriculture minister, Matia Chowdhury, decided to allow the eggplant.

Bangladesh's decision to allow modified crops has turned the eyes of ardent opponents and proponents towards it. The scientists involved in the project in Bangladesh remain focused. They just want their country to produce good, healthy food, they say.

Every morning, Islam brings his harvest to a market in town several hundred metres away. There he sells it to middlemen, who take it to other towns.

Islam will use the extra money he earns with the genetically modified eggplants to buy more land. He also plans to make improvements to his house, parts of which are still built of corrugated iron sheets. Islam hopes to replace the sheets with stone.

On the way back to the capital, we encounter another farmer, who is growing genetically modified eggplants for the third season in a row.

Genetically modified crops may help Bangladesh cope with the challenges of a growing population. Over the coming years, the country will give farmers the opportunity to grow more genetically modified crops, including rice and potato.