Global Food Security and Governance of Modern Biotech

"If Europe is to meet its own food security needs and contribute to the food requirements of the rest of the world, policy and regulatory changes will be necessary," said Joyce Tait and Guy Barker in an article Global food security and the governance of modern biotechnologies, part of a Science and Society Series on Food and Science.

The authors note that Europe does not have a mechanism for stakeholder engagement that could lead to more democratic discussion of issues. "We will need clearer strategic thinking on how to implement a governance approach under these circumstances for the investments we make in scientific research to contribute to food security," they explained.

The article explores the link between regulation and innovation in the context of food security in Europe, and the impact of European policy on the ability of other countries to respond to food-security challenges.

Read more at http://www.nature.com/embor/journal/v12/n8/full/embor2011135a.html.