GM Crops Need Legal Framework for Growth in Vietnam

The director of the Vietnam Institute of Agriculture Genetics, Dr. Le Dinh Luong, said Vietnam must develop an appropriate legal framework to guide the cultivation and use of genetically modified organisms (GMO) in food production. Speaking at a Consultative Workshop in the capital city on October 9, 2013, Luong addressed the need to help the government manage the use of GMO and develop legal parameters for scientific research.

The workshop also considered a draft Circular on procedures to certify GMOs used in food and animal feed production. "In reality, GMOs have been used in our country for around ten years, however, the application of genetically modified crop technology in production is still undergoing field trials to assess the efficiency and risks," Luong said. Workshop participants expressed support for GM crops as an effective model for high yield agricultural production, but acknowledged it required ‘smart' application in the right conditions.

Under the draft Circular, any GM crop wanting to be certified must meet at least one of two conditions. Firstly, it must meet all the requirements to be used in food or animal feed, and must not pose any risks to human or animal health. Secondly, the GM crop must be used in at least five other countries as food or as animal feed, without having posed any risks in those markets.

See the full report at http://vietnamnews.vn/society/246169/gm-crops-need-legal-framework-for-growth.html