The Use of GM Crops in Developing Countries
Governance
5.1 Decisions regarding the development, planting and regulation of GM crops take place at many levels and are influenced by international regimes and national policies. They are also made by sub-national authorities, local communities and, ultimately, individual farmers and households. We have stressed that we cannot generalise about developing countries (see Box 1.1 and paragraphs 1.17-1.20). However, all such countries face the challenge of ensuring that policies towards GM crops make sense in the context of their own development needs, and also that they cohere with the complex system of international governance that is developing for GM crops.
5.2 In this chapter we:
- outline the system of governance that applies to GM crops, including issues of national administrative and technical capacity;
- identify emerging ethical and regulatory issues within this system, particularly relating to the level of authority at which decisions should be made; and
- highlight ethical and regulatory problems arising from the interdependence created through international trade.