SEATID PAPER: A response to ‘Agricultural Biotechnology in Southeast Asia. Patterns of Inclusion and Exclusion’

The contribution represents a response to the reflection of Professor Thomas Larsson (SEATIDE investigator) on biotechnologies for agriculture in Southeast Asia, in the light of ASEAN integration. The question posed by Tomas Larsson points to the asymmetry that characterises flows of knowledge related to agro-biotechnology in the context of Southeast Asian integration. These asymmetries, as remarked in the paper, are generated by the ambiguous role of governments, who as promoters of development and guardians of the environmental and health security of their citizens, tend to exercise (in some case contradictory) mechanisms of inclusion and exclusion within the complex system of know-how involved in the genetic revolution in agriculture. Depending on the capacity of states to negotiate common solutions with regard to theThe question posed by Tomas Larsson points to the asymmetry that characterises flows of knowledge related to agro-biotechnology in the context of Southeast Asia integration. These asymmetries, as remarked in the paper, are generated by the ambiguous role of governments, who as promoters of development and guardians of the environmental and health security of their citizens, tend to exercise (in some case contradictory) mechanisms of inclusion and exclusion within the complex system of know-how involved in the genetic revolution in agriculture. Depending on the capacity of states to negotiate common solutions with regard to the introduction, production and marketing of GMO, it will be possible to the nascent economic union of the states of the SEA "harmonise" their agricultural and trade policies and define the horizons of common action. introduction, production and marketing of GMO, it will be possible to the nascent economic union of the states of the SEA "harmonise" their agricultural and trade policies and define the horizons of common action.