AgBioForum, vol. 15, no.1 (2012)
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Item Acceptance of Genetically Modified Foods among Maltese Youths : Can Exposure to Formal Knowledge Make a Difference?(AgBioForum, 2012) Zammit-Mangion, Marion; Al-Qallaf, Ameer; Vella, JosephThis article examines the perceptions and acceptance of GM foods in 217 Maltese youths and attempts to establish whether exposure to formal channels of knowledge -- such as biology tuition -- may act to predispose students to be GM-technology receptive. Regardless of gender or academic background, students were found to be supportive of creating GM plants but opposed to the creation of GM animals. However, this study showed that those who had been exposed to formal-based knowledge were generally more positively disposed to purchase plant-derived GM foods, while those who had been exposed to informal knowledge (minimum to no biology) were negatively disposed to the purchase of GM produce. These results have implications for companies producing GM products, as well as decision makers.Item The Market-Mediated Effects of Low Carbon Fuel Policies(AgBioForum, 2012) Chen, Xiaoguang; Khanna, Madhu, 1960-This article analyzes the domestic and global rebound effects of a carbon price policy, the existing Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS), and a proposed national Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) and examines implications for the greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation benefits of these policies. This study shows that unlike a carbon price policy, the RFS generates positive domestic and global rebound effects, while the rebound effects under the LCFS may be positive or negative depending on the stringency of the LCFS target. The numerical simulation shows that a 10% LCFS generates a smaller positive rebound effect than the RFS, and that the rebound effect has a larger potential to offset the direct GHG savings resulting from the displacement of fossil fuels achieved by these policies compared to the indirect-land-use change effect. Nevertheless, all three policies reduce GHG emissions relative to a no-policy, business-as-usual scenario, with the RFS leading to a lower reduction in GHG emissions than the LCFS and the carbon tax.Item Biosafety of Genetically Modified Organisms in the Latin American and the Caribbean Region : Main Needs and Opportunities for Strategic Capacity Building(AgBioForum, 2012) Araya-Quesada, Marianela; Craig, Wendy; Ripandelli, DecioBiotechnology has the potential to help improve food production in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), a continent where agriculture plays a dominant role in peoples' lives and in trade. It is therefore critical that recombinant DNA (rDNA) biotechnology is regulated in such a manner as to capture its benefits and to minimize any potential risks. In order to best understand biosafety needs in LAC, an email-based stakeholder consultation was carried out, augmented by personal communications with well-informed respondents, and integrated into a desktop study incorporating information from recent peer-reviewed literature. The resultant qualitative study tracked developments in rDNA biotechnology and biosafety in the region and reviewed regulatory capacity as well as the legacies of previous capacity-building projects in these areas to culminate in a snapshot of the present situation. It demonstrated that approximately half of the 31 countries represented in the study are not carrying out any domestic research and development on genetically modified organisms (GMOs); furthermore, the majority have not developed GM products beyond the proof-of-concept stage. Only 58% of the study countries appear to have operational biosafety regulatory systems in place. Acknowledging that methods of delivering capacity building should be tailored to specific demand-driven needs, the study identified possible knowledge and expertise gaps in the region, to be used as a basis for possible training and/or support interventions.Item Food Fight : The International Assessment of Agricultural Knowledge, Science, and Technology for Development(AgBioForum, 2012) Edwards, LucieThe International Assessment of Agricultural Knowledge, Science, and Technology for Development (IAASTD) was created in 2002 to address global problems of agriculture and food security. More than 400 scientists contributed to the reports, while delegates participated in an ambitious array of regional, thematic, and global conclaves, all of which concluded in 2008. The panel was launched with strong political support and high expectations, but almost everything that could go wrong did. It became a lightning rod for debates on the role of agribusiness, globalization, biotechnology, and the merits of "science" over "traditional" knowledge. Key governments repudiated the final report. Debate on the merits of the IAASTD still rages in agricultural circles even though the IAASTD is defunct. This article explores the reasons for this failure. Were the issues too intractable? Were there structural problems that prevented an effective dialogue? Or did such ill-assorted delegates simply fail to negotiate effectively? The IAASTD is a cautionary tale on the limits of expert assessments in global governance when "facts are uncertain, values in dispute, stakes are high, and decisions urgent."Item The Step-wise Approach to Adoption of Genetically Modified (GM) Canola in Western Australia(AgBioForum, 2012) McCauley, Rosalie; Davies, Michael; Wyntje, AnitaThis article presents a review and analysis of the process of commercial adoption of genetically modified (GM) canola in Western Australia with the aim of providing information to aid in the planning for the adoption of GM crops in the future. Adoption of GM canola proceeded in two steps. In 2009, there were limited-size commercial trials, and in 2010 there was unrestricted commercial cultivation of GM canola. The Department of Agriculture and Food Western Australia had the role of an independent monitor and auditor of these GM plantings. There was effective segregation of non-GM canola from GM canola in 2009 and 2010. There was a coexistence-related event where an organic grower lost certification of a portion of his property due to the presence of GM plant material. This case highlights the need for realistic thresholds in biological systems to enable coexistence of different production systems.