Template-type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0
Author-Name: Gehl Sampath, Padmashree
Author-Email: sampath@intech.unu.edu
Author-Workplace-Name: United Nations University, Institute for New Technologies
Title: Agricultural Biotechnology: Issues for Biosafety Governance in Asian Countries 
Abstract: The past decade has seen a rapid increase in the adoption of genetically modified (GM) crops. This is
	 generally attributed to two main reasons: intellectual property protection that has stimulated large
	 investments in agricultural biotechnology (Cuffaro, 2002, p35) and increased profits for farmers accruing
	 (Traxler et al, 1999; Falck-Zepeda, Traxler and Nelson, 2001). But in real terms, the adoption of GM crops
	 reflects a trade off - the crops may reduce some fixed costs, like costs of insecticides for farmers, but
	 on the other hand, they increase other costs like seed costs or costs due to adverse environmental impacts
	 (Cuffaro, 2002, p35). Minimising the potential environmental and social impacts of GM crops is a
	 precondition for realising their advantages.
	 The potential risks imposed by GM crops on the environment can be grouped into four main categories - the
	 creation of invasive weeds, the creation of invasive insect species, loss of agricultural diversity due to
	 monocultures and contamination of wild pools of the species in question. This paper analyses the gravity of
	 these impacts and the issues of governance that they raise, specifically within the context of Asian
	 countries. It looks at the changing industrial structure in agricultural biotechnology, emerging research
	 priorities and patterns, expected benefits and issues that participation and use of such technologies raise		 for developing countries in Asia.
Keywords: Agricultural Biotechnology, Genetic Engineering, Crops, GM Crops, Biosafety, Biodiversity, Environmental
	 Aspects, Environmental Policy, Asia
Series: Discussion Paper
Creation-Date: 2004
Number: 13
File-URL: http://www.intech.unu.edu/publications/discussion-papers/2004-13.pdf
File-Format: application/pdf
File-Size: 106 Kb
Handle: RePEc:unm:unuint:200413