FAIR-CT95-0269 Future Impacts of Biotechnology on Agriculture, Food Production and Food Processing - A Delphi Survey

Contacts




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Agriculture : Biotechnology : Economics : Enviromental Aspects : FAIR Area 3 - Generic Science and Advanced Technologies for Nutritious Foods

FAIR-0269 Future Impacts of Biotechnology on Agriculture, Food Production and Food Processing - A Delphi Survey

SUMMARY

Area 3 of the FAIR programme is focused on developments in food technology. However, in some cases the aims and objectives of these food related projects are also of significance to non-food use of agricultural raw materials. This is particularly true where the objectives relate to improvement of plants, increased yield or changes in composition and partitioning of organic matter, as well as the potential, capabilities and implications of plant genetic engineering and other aspects of biotechnology, as is the case for this project, which will survey a number of Member States in order to evaluate key issues relating to the acceptance of biotechnology.

OBJECTIVE

In the proposed project, the future impacts of biotechnology on agriculture, food production and food processing will be analysed in Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, Greece and Spain. The main target of this study is to analyse and forecast the scientific and technological development, as well as the development of the framework conditions of biotechnology (e.g. socio economic questions, legal aspects, acceptance of biotechnology, ecological impacts) in the agro food sector.

This includes the elaboration of common features and differences between the five countries as well as an in depth analysis of key issues (e.g. technological development, future acceptance of biotechnology, promising market segments, areas with restrictions) on a European level. In order to achieve these targets a Delphi survey will be carried out in the five countries involved, in which several groups of experts with different views (e.g. industry companies, research institutes, farmers, consumers, biotechnology opposition) will be considered. The Delphi approach is one of the most reliable instruments of technology forecasting that can be used to forecast the framework conditions of biotechnology as well. The Delphi survey is based on numerous expert estimates that are checked by several feedback loops during the survey thereby providing a consensus mechanism.

The project has a great relevance to European politics, European agriculture and food industry as well as to the consumers within the EU. The European Commission has a direct competence to set the legal framework in the area of safety, regulation, release and marketing of food or agricultural products that are produced with the help of biotechnology. The project will provide prospective information that will help to adjust relevant guidelines in this field, as well as the targets and organisation of the EU's Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and the Common Fishery Policy. The European agro food industry will get early stage information about the development of its framework conditions. This information is required to ensure the future competitiveness of European agriculture and food industry. This relates in a special way to the great number of small and medium size enterprises (SMEs) that are active in these fields. Because of the involvement of all relevant groups in the survey, well balanced and reliable information about the future development of biotechnology will be provided. These form one major prerequisite for improving the acceptance of biotechnology in the agro food sector.

Contacts

Coordinator

• Klaus MENRAD / Fraunhofer-Institut fur Systemtechnik und Innovationsforschung / GERMANY

EC Scientific Officer

• Herman POTT / European Commission BELGIUM