A Science-Informed Ethics for Agricultural Biotechnology

Abstract

This overview of ethical issues in plant breeding and agricultural biotechnology puts emphasis on the scientific consensus as the basis for ethical studies and discussions. An introduction is given to major ethical issues in plant breeding, including the selection of socially important breeding goals such as environmental and nutritional improvements, the measures needed to ensure that sufficient priority is given to such breeding goals, potential risks and how they should be weighed against benefits, the interpretation of the precautionary principle, intellectual property rights, and the construction of a labelling system for biotechnological products. Some of the common arguments against agricultural biotechnology are also discussed, among them arguments referring to negative effects of yield increases, the dominance of big companies, and the alleged unnaturalness of biotechnology.

Green Horizons: Navigating the Future of Agriculture through Sustainable Practices

“…In particular, the potential of agricultural biotechnology to contribute to sustainable practices in developing countries, such as Nigeria, has been emphasized by Odidi et al [28]. However, the application of biotechnology, especially genetic modification, raises ethical considerations and public concerns about food safety and biodiversity, underscoring the need for a balanced approach to technological advancements in agriculture [29].…”

Strengthening ethical guardrails for emerging technology businesses

“…Furthermore, due to loopholes in the waste electrical and electronic equipment directives, used solar panels, unlike other forms of e-waste, can enter developing nations with less developed waste disposal systems legally before ending up there as e-waste (IER, 2018; Shellenberger, 2018). In the USA, unlike in Europe, intellectual property laws do not provide sufficient exemptions for independent researchers and institutions to compare seeds owned by agro-tech firms with seeds from other companies (Hansson, 2019). In January 2020, some of the first regulations aimed at securing consumer data collected by the IoT took effect in the USA and the UK.…”

“…In the USA, unlike in Europe, intellectual property laws do not provide sufficient exemptions for independent researchers and institutions to compare seeds owned by agro-tech firms with seeds from other companies (Hansson, 2019).…”

“…Emerging food and agro technologies have contributed to greater yield in food production (Falk et al , 2002). This greater yield, however, has been accompanied by a reduction in micronutrient content in major cereals, as the agro tech firms seem to focus on increasing yield at the expense of other ethically valuable breeding goals, such as nutritional content and lower environmental impact (Hansson, 2019). Social media firms enable greater connectivity and accessibility of information through internet platforms.…”

impacto de la publicidad en los hábitos alimenticios de los españoles: una cuestión de educación alimentaria

“…También se pueden añadir las propiedades saludables de ciertos componentes y sus proporciones (por ejemplo, el ácido oleico). Con independencia del producto del que estemos hablando, el tamaño de la letra de dicha información (mínimo 1,2 milímetros o, en el caso de envases más pequeños, 0,9) también cobra especial relevancia de cara a las decisiones de compra que adopten los consumidores potenciales (Mulders, 2019;Hansson, 2019).…”