Abstracts, Papers &
Resources:
Science & Technology
We’ve scanned the web to bring together a library of interesting, thought-provoking articles, blogs, reports and academic papers that explore the issue of genetic engineering in food and farming from broader and deeper perspectives. Browse for inspiration or search by theme.
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Ensuring effective removal of transgenes before release of genome-edited crops
Genome editing technology is evolving fast, and many labs worldwide are generating crop plants with improved traits. If transgenes were used to generate the edits, foreign DNA must be effectively removed by outcrossing. After an evaluation of various technologies, we show that long-read whole-genome sequencing (WGS) is at present the only reliable approach to confirm the absence of foreign DNA. We suggest using long-read WGS before requesting exemption from classification as genetically modified organisms and provide a guide for interpreting WGS data.
Agroecological sustainability: exploring the intersection of digital agriculture, ethics and the right to food
The paper examines the impact of modern agricultural practices on environmental sustainability, focusing on the ethical-legal dilemmas of digital agriculture and its role in the agroecological transition. The paper advocates for an alternative: local and solidarity-based digital agriculture, a model that aligns digital innovation with agroecological practices and human rights principles, empowering small-scale farmers and enhancing food sovereignty. The research concludes that a balanced integration of technology and agroecological practices rooted in human rights is crucial to advancing a sustainable and equitable food system. However, further empirical research is necessary to evaluate the implementation of such local and solidarity-based digital agriculture models across diverse contexts.
Agroecology and Digitalisation: Traps and Opportunities to Transform the Food System
This IFOAM report explains why digitalization should not be conceived only as a technological fix to the current input-intensive agriculture model, aimed at alleviating marginally some of its destructive impacts while increasing corporate control and further disempowering farmers. Issues of control and ownership of data are by now well-identified in the public discussion, and digitalization and agroecology sometimes appear in the debate as two dominating and conflicting narratives on what the future of agriculture should be.
Suitability of Real-Time PCR Methods for New Genomic Technique Detection in the Context of the European Regulations: A Case Study in Arabidopsis
PCR methods are widely applied for the detection of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in Europe, facilitating compliance with stringent regulatory requirements and enabling the accurate identification and quantification of genetically modified traits in various crops and foodstuffs. This manuscript investigates the suitability of real-time PCR methods for detecting organisms generated through new genomic techniques (NGTs), specifically focusing on a case study using Arabidopsis thaliana as a model gene-edited plant. The results demonstrate that while the grf1-3 LNA method successfully detected and quantified gene-edited Arabidopsis DNA, achieving absolute specificity remains a challenge. This study also addresses the significance of the cross-laboratory method for validation, demonstrating that the method developed for an SNP-modified allele can be performed in accordance with the precision and trueness criteria established by the European Network of GMO Laboratories (ENGL). Furthermore, we call for continued collaboration among regulatory agencies, academia, and industry stakeholders to refine detection strategies. This proactive approach is essential not only for regulatory compliance but also for maintaining public trust in the safe integration of gene-edited organisms into food products.
Robots in agriculture – A case-based discussion of ethical concerns on job loss, responsibility, and data control
The Gene Editing Business: Rent Extraction in the Biotech Industry
This article analyses the mechanisms governing the extraction, circulation, and distribution of rent in the biotech industry. Building on recent scholarship, it contributes to debates surrounding the importance of rent in technoscientific capitalism. It analyses genome editing as a global labour process. It interrogates how CRISPR technologies cement and expand neocolonial geographies of rent extraction, privatising the economic benefits and socialising the ecological risks. It argues that an increasingly monopolistic corporate biopower mediates how genome editing technologies are developed, and which mutant ecologies are socially produced.
Predicted multispecies unintended effects from outdoor genome editing
Our aim was to assess potential activity in organisms that could be exposed to genome editing in uncontrolled environments. We developed three scenarios, using irrigation, fumigation and fertilization as delivery methods, based on outdoor uses in agriculture, namely pest and disease control. Using publicly available software , off-target effects were predicted in multiple species commonly found in the agroecosystem, including humans (16 of 38 (42 %) sampled). Metabolic enrichment analysis (gene IDs), by connecting off-target genes into a physiological network, predicted effects on the development of nervous and respiratory systems. Our findings emphasize the importance of exercising caution when considering the use of this genome editing in uncontrolled environments. Unintended genomic alterations may occur in unintended organisms, underscoring the significance of understanding potential hazards and implementing safety measures to protect human health and the environment.
Socio-economic assessment and genetically engineered crops in Africa: Building knowledge for development?
How could we know if agricultural development interventions make contributions to sustainable development goals (SDGs)? Genetically engineered (GE) crops are celebrated as a class of technological interventions that can realize multiple SDGs. But recent studies have revealed the gap between GE crop program goals and the approaches used to assess their impacts. Using four comprehensive reviews of GE crop socio-economic impacts, we identify common shortcomings across three themes: (a) scope, (b) approaches and (c) heterogeneity. We find that the evaluation sciences literature offers alternative assessment approaches that can enable evaluators to better assess impacts, and inform learning and decision-making. We recommend the use of methods that enable evaluations to look beyond the agronomic and productive effects of individual traits to understand wider socio-economic effects.
Let’s cut the crap on gene technology
Society should be asking itself why it needs to trade the security of its regulations for unsecured promises from the visions of genetic engineers, argues molecular biologist Jack Heinemann.