Objectives, Capabilities and Dangers in the Role of International Organizations and Funding Agencies in Promoting Gene-Based Technologies for Livestock in Developing Countries

Abstract

Gene-based technologies offer the world unprecedented opportunities forimproving quality of life, or for reducing it in irreversible ways. Thebasic question addressed in this paper is the position and response ofinternational bodies and donors on whether or not to provide gene-basedtechnologies to developing countries. It will not be easy to attain aresponsible and coherent answer to this challenging question. Gaining anobjective understanding of the essential issues is hard when controversyrages across the supposedly neutral scientific facts. Nevertheless, theoutcome of the discussion is of prime importance at a global level. Thispaper seeks to bring light into this arena.After the Introduction, three principle concerns are examined whichshould be at the top of the agenda of these international institutions.Following this, short reviews of the critical issues are presentedcovering: the scientific characteristics and uncertainties associatedwith gene-based technologies; the nature of target areas in which theymay be applied; and the considerable disquiet in society generally.These short outlines highlight the possible benefits and dangersassociated with the critical issues. It is concluded that theobjectives, capabilities, opportunities and dangers cannot be evaluatedat the scientific level alone; they must be evaluated as matters of highpolicy by all stakeholders before gene-based technologies areimplemented on the ground.In view of these perspectives, at the end of the paper it is proposedthat scientists should place a moratorium on the development ofgene-based technologies for the development of transgenic animals. It isalso proposed that, during the moratorium, the United Nations shouldcarry out a global referendum on the desirability of gene-basedtechnologies being applied to the food chain. Meanwhile it isrecommended that international organizations and funding bodies shouldnot promote these techniques.