There were also break-out sessions that addressed questions specific to the various regions of the developing world. At the same time, Pinstrup-Andersen stressed the need for appropriate institutional safeguards to minimize a range of risks. In addition to testing and public policy regulations to protect the environment and human health, his paper addressed socioeconomic risks, such as industrial concentration, and the need for policies that ensure that poor farmers are able to gain access to new technologies. He emphasized that without a substantial public sector role in agricultural biotechnology research, it is unlikely that much attention will be given to the crops and cropping systems most relevant to poor farmers and consumers, as these do not promise the private sector a sufficient return to cover the needed research and development investment. The panel presentations and floor discussions stimulated a wide range of views as to the potential risks and benefits of biotechnology for sustainable food security in developing countries.
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