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Laura Snook Programme Leader, Forest Genetic Resources Conservation and Use, talks about the need to harness the huge genetic diversity of different tree species to face challenges such as climate change and find sustainable ways to use and conserve it for our future. This video is the latest from our Rio+20 campaign blog.

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Bioversity's position statement on GMOs

 

The CGIAR Centres of the CGIAR have collectively developed the "Centres Position Statement on Biotechnology" and individual Centres have issued guiding principles for specific crop species. In 2005, Bioversity approved its own set of guiding principles regarding genetically modified organisms (GMOs).

GMOs have two distinct roles in agricultural research: as tools, to facilitate discovery, and as outputs with specific benefits.

In both, Bioversity will adhere to five primary principles.

  • Bioversity will ensure transparency in all its work related to GMOs
  •  Bioversity's work with GMOs will be designed to produce global public goods
  • Bioversity will only engage in projects that take into account socio-economic implications, intellectual property rights and environmental and health impacts
  • Bioversity will only engage in projects that observe the highest standards of safety in the conduct of laboratory and field experiments, meeting national and international legislation and codes of conduct
  • Bioversity will work with partners to study the impact of potential and actual gene flow from GMOs to local varieties and wild relatives, especially in centres of origin or diversity and as it relates to the use and conservation of agricultural biodiversity

For more information on CGIAR policy, download:

 The Booklet of CGIAR Centre Policy Instruments, Guidelines and Statements on Genetic Resources, Biotechnology and Intellectual Property Rights (307 KB)

Filed under: Governance
See also: Governance
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