Science and society: protecting crop genetic diversity for food security: political, ethical and technical challenges.
Crop genetic diversity - which is crucial for feeding humanity, for the environment and for sustainable development - is being lost at an alarming rate. Given the enormous interdependence of countries and generations on this genetic diversity, this loss raises critical socio-economic, ethical and political questions. The recent ratification of a binding international treaty, and the development of powerful new technologies to conserve and use resources more effectively, have raised expectations that must now be fulfilled.
Esquinas-Alcázar
José
J
FAO Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, Viale delle Terme di Caracalla, 00100 Rome, Italy. Jose.Esquinas@fao.org.
D000383:Agriculture / Q000941:ethics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000379:methods; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources / Q000379:methods*; D018556:Crops, Agricultural / Q000235:genetics*; D005523:Food Supply / Q000941:ethics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D014644:Genetic Variation / Q000941:ethics* / Q000235:genetics*; D007391:International Cooperation / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D011057:Politics