Regulatory system

Paper

Capacity Building in Biosafety of GM crops in Asia

ASIAN BIONET, The Risk communication manual, document No. 1.2005 (2005)

The science and use of biotechnology is fast gaining grounds. Countries who have adapted the technology had put in-place its own regulatory system to address the human and animal health, and environment safety issues of modern biotechnology, that is genetic engineering. In some other countries that do not have yet a regulatory framework, they are contemplating to incorporate some social issues outside the scientific issues of health and environment. Among the subject of many debates in the culture of genetically modified crops, risks associated with such kind of crop is the focus. The pro and the anti biotechnology groups had both aired their statements, and expectedly, they differ in opinions. For countries that have already existing regulations in the field of biotechnology, the government is always on the defensive and the groups that are against biotechnology are on the offense. More often than not, the target user of the technology, the farmers are caught in between. The benefits of the technology may not have been accessed. The FAO Regional project on Capacity Building in Biosafety of GM Crops in Asia known as ‘ Asian BioNet” put out this training manual to assist countries to develop the government people and scientists to become more effective agents and carriers of information on products of modern technology. Because at the end, the public needs the correct information to enable them to make an informed decision. This manual was the main output of the Regional Training Workshop on Public Awareness and Participation conducted in Manila, Philippines in 2004 by the ‘ Asian BIoNet’ for the project participating countries. Tools and procedures included were jointly designed with the participants, who were mainly government officers and researchers, with the idea of putting the regulators and scientists in the forefront to make them reach out to the public.

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