Monday, October 6, 2008

Selma Bektas

But experts say the long-awaited draft is not in line with European Union standards and it was not discussed enough before being submitted to the Prime Ministry.

Genetic agriculture and transgenic products are rapidly becoming widespread, despite the ongoing debate regarding their impact on public health and biodiversity.

Genetic agriculture covers 114 million hectares in 23 countries, particularly in the United States, Argentina, India and China, employing some 12 million farmers. The market, which was not expected to reach $25 billion until 2025, has already climbed to $33 billion today.

Many countries, including Turkey, signed the International Cartagena Biosecurity Protocol in 2003. According to this protocol, all countries are required to issue relevant laws by the end of 2009. However, there is no arrangement in Turkey on GMO. Products using GMOs and genetic agriculture techniques are forbidden. The Ministry of Agriculture has prepared several drafts for the law. The latest draft re-arranges all activities, such as the formation of a "Biosecutity Council" as well as the production and trade of these products.

Wide collaboration

The draft will be issued in the first six months of 2009, said Masum Burak, managing director of the General Directorate of Agricultural Research, or TAGEM. The draft was prepared with collaboration from universities, professional organizations and companies, Burak said.

"It is a long-running work. In the previous drafts, we envisaged forming an independent biosecurity board. However, this changed in the latest version of the draft and a council was found more appropriate. This council will be responsible for all arrangements concerning GMO."

Other deficiencies to emerge during the implementation would be covered with legislation and communiqués, he said, adding that GMO is not a technology to be implemented suddenly. "First, trial productions and researches will take place and these will be determined by legislations and communiqués."

There are also ongoing preparations for laboratory infrastructure on GMO, Burak said. There are analyses at laboratories in Ankara and Bursa, he said, adding that three more laboratories in Antalya, Yalova and Ankara will focus on GMO soon.

Criticism

The text of the draft is insufficient, according to Prof. Selim Çetiner from Sabanci University, who last saw it in March. Çetiner argued that the draft on biosecurity was not capable of covering Turkey`s needs. "The aforementioned draft only refers to the International Cartagena Biosecurity Protocol. There are partial quotations from the EU legislation," said Çetiner, criticizing various aspects of the draft. "The most worrisome aspect of the draft is that a structure independent of the ministry will be formed, and a nonspecialist bureaucratic authority will undertake the right in this area. This situation may prevent research and development on biotechnology in Turkey."

The draft may serve to prepare an import-based legislation on GMO in Turkey, said Fatih Tasdögen, a member of the Chamber of Agricultural Engineers, or ZMO. "The Ministry should establish an independent research institute to conduct scientific works on genetic agriculture," he said, adding that the current biosecurity draft would not mean much more than creating a more suitable market for international seed companies that are operating in Turkey.


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