Biotechnology offers exceptional opportunities to meet the growing needs of food and feed security by enhancing productivity, profitability and environmental sustainability of farming systems. The rapidly increasing area being covered by genetically modified (GM) crops in China, India, Iran and the Philippines signifies that such opportunities are being realized even in the developing countries of Asia-Pacific. Along with, it is also being recognized that the application of genetic modification technology and the use of GM products must be accompanied by systematic assessment of their potential impact on food and feed safety and safety of environment. Accordingly, adoption of appropriate biosafety measures, including development and implementation of biosafety regulations, has been a high priority for countries applying biotechnology for agricultural research and development.
