GMO Research
Abstract: It has recently been argued that the fragmented knowledge on the social impacts of genetically modified (GM) crops is contributing to the polarised debate on the matter. This paper addresses this issue by systematically reviewing 99 peer-reviewed journal articles published since 2004 on the social impacts of GM crops in agriculture; summarising current knowledge, …
Abstract: Over the past 20 years, genetically modified organisms (GMOs) have raised enormous expectations, passionate political controversies and an ongoing debate on how these technologies should be assessed. Current risk assessment procedures generally assess GMOs in terms of their potential risk of negatively affecting human health and the environment. Can this risk-benefit approach deliver a …
Abstract: Genetic engineering is a technological approach that allows for the application of new genetic material across species borders. It is assumed to yield specific benefits, e.g., increased food production, decreased use of pesticides and herbicides, and improved food quality. However, after more than a decade of commercial experience in some countries outside Europe, it …
Abstract: The promotion of environmental responsibility amongst transnational corporations (TNCs) has become an important topic of debate in recent years. While government regulation might achieve environmental goals in a blunt manner, business community argues that voluntary measures can achieve them in a more efficient way (Utting and Marques 2010; Clapp 2005). One of the commercial …
Abstract: We consider ecological safety as environmental safety and protection of vital interests of citizens, society and the state from the action of internal and external factors, negative processes and trends, which pose a threat to people’s health and biosphere. From this perspective, a number of technogenic phenomena are discussed, which create ecological dangers at …
Abstract: There is no doubt that soybean is the most important crop for Argentina, with a planted surface that rose 11,000,000 hectares and a production of around 35,000,000 metric tons. During the 1990s, there was a significant agriculture transformation in the country, motorize by the adoption of transgenic crops (soy- bean, maize, and cotton) under …
Text: A 2013 report by the European Environment Agency analyses a range of chemical and technological innovations and the long-term effectiveness of policies designed to minimize risks to health and the environment resultig from their use (see go.nature.com/ajxkkt). As contributors to the report, we call for more proactive forms of governance to incorporate greater social …
Abstract: Biotechnology is providing us with a wide range of options for how we can use agricultural and commercial forestry lands. The cultivation of genetically modified (GM) crops on millions of hectares of lands and their injection into our food chain is a huge global genetic experiment involving all living beings. Considering the fast pace …
Abstract: A realist discourse of risk currently dominates regulatory decision making for genetically modified organisms (GMOs). This paper challenges the appropriateness of this for regulating the environmental impact of GMOs. Discussing psychometric research, cultural theory and the development of typologies of uncertainty, I argue that there is an emerging theoretical shift away from a singular …
Abstract: The process of degradation which is taking place in the earth ecosystems as well as growing economic and ecological problems in the majority of communities in the era of globalization trends and dominant world corporations require a new paradigm for development. One of possible solutions aimed at gaining ecological and social excellence can be …
Abstract: The history of this book is closely related to the origins of the international biosafety course ‘Holistic Foundations for Assessment and Regulation of Genetic Engineering and Genetically Modified Organisms’. It started at a breakfast conversation between the Third World Network (TWN) director Martin Khor, TWN’s coordinator of its environment programme Chee Yoke Ling, and …
Abstract: W Polsce od ponad roku trwają prace nad rządowym projektem nowej ustawy o organizmach genetycznie modyfikowanych (GMO). Równocześnie, toczy się społeczna debata nad celowością wprowadzenia upraw genetycznie modyfikowanych (GM) zbóŜ do polskiego rolnictwa. Zabierając głos w tej dyskusji omawiamy niedoskonałości technik inŜynierii genetycznej, niedostatek badań z zakresu oceny ryzyka, potencjalne zagroŜenia zdrowotne i środowiskowe …
Abstract: This paper explores the unequal distribution of the environmental and social costs and benefits of the genetically modified (GM) soy model in Argentina and its impact on grievance formation and the emergence of contestation. In the 1990s, Argentina transitioned into a neoliberal agro‐industrial model based on producing GM soy for export. Though celebrated as …
Abstract: The commercialisation of genetically modified (GM) crops is being accompanied by a debate with scientific, social, ethical, legal and metaphysical dimensions. In the face of this complex debate, governments need to regulate GM crops in a way that minimises negative impacts on biological and social environments. This paper is a critical examination of Australias …
Text: Hume’s fact-value dichotomy is something which appeared useful during the enlightenment but which today has become part of a dangerous rhetoric being used by some for the control and manipulation of information. Others seem unaware of the implications when they draw on this divide to describe the natural sciences as separated from political process, …
Abstract: The economically successful model of industrial agriculture that is currently expanding throughout Argentina is leading to deep social, economic, environmental, and logistical changes that are seriously restricting the sustainability of the rural, urban and environmental systems. The transformation of activities, the arrival of new technologies, the arrival of organizations with large financial and technological …
Abstract: The peasant economy of the Yucatan Peninsula is sustained by agriculture and beekeeping. Honey production has great economic importance, given that it represents the main source of income for Mayan rural families. Furthermore, Mexico is the world’s fourth‐largest exporter of honey. The honey comes from jungle that covers the peninsular territory and forms part …
Abstract: The research presented in this paper assesses how four social and agro-ecological factors – credit, governance, seed price and pest dynamics – mediate Bt cotton outcomes for producers in Burkina Faso. It finds that the cotton sector’s integrated credit provisioning scheme provides a mechanism for all socio-economic groups to adopt Bt cotton. High seed …
Abstract: The authors recognize that the discussion about genetically modified organisms (GMOs), presented by Brazilian scientific literature as well as the media is, in general, highly biased towards approval of these products. Very few articles go deeper into questioning the effects of a possible introduction of these genetically modified organisms in Brazil, be it from …
Abstract: The International Assessment of Agricultural Knowledge, Science and Technology for Development (IAASTD) (http://www.agassessment.org) responds to the environmental and social consequences of technological agricultural development. The goals of the IAASTD are to: assess Agricultural Knowledge, Science and Technology (AKST) whether and how to reduce hunger and poverty, improve rural livelihoods and facilitate equitable, and environmentally, …
Abstract: Since genetically modified food appeared in Chinese market, it has become a big dispute. Scientific experiments has proved that genetically modified food possesses many advantages such as insect resistance, herbicide tolerance and disease resistance. However it is a fact that many Chinese consumers prefer conventional food to genetically modified food when they go to …
Abstract: Expectations play a powerful role in driving technological change. Expectations are often encapsulated in narratives of technological promise that emphasize potential benefits and downplay potential negative impacts. Genetically modified (GM, transgenic) crops have been framed by expectations that they would be an intrinsically ‘pro‐poor’ innovation that would contribute powerfully to international agricultural development. However, …
Abstract: A commonly accepted approach for measuring the sustainability of agricultural products is the first step toward treating traded products differentially according to their sustainability. If we were able to measure sustainability, business stakeholders could optimize food production chains, consumers could demand products based on reduced environmental and social impacts, and policy makers could intervene …
