A cooperative governance network for crop genome editing: The success of governance networks in other areas could help to find common ground for applying genome editing in agriculture.

Abstract

Emerging biotechnologies, such as genome editing, may revolutionize agricultural development through rapid and precise genetic manipulation of a wide range of crop traits without having to transfer foreign DNA [1]. If so, these new genetic‐engineering (GE) technologies can help to generate crop varieties to address critical challenges in agricultural development, such as climate resilience or nutrient uptake, or diet‐related problems in nutrition and health in poorer countries. However, society must also be protected from potential harmful effects of genetically manipulated crops on the environment, human health, or social welfare. Governance of these crops must therefore balance agricultural developments with risk assessment and prevention of potential harm. > …genome editing is being used to improve the characteristics of major crop plants, but the governance of crop genome editing is poorly defined and developed Presently, genome editing is being used to improve the characteristics of major crop plants, but the governance of crop genome editing is poorly defined and developed. Influential groups concerned with the potential hazards of such crops view this situation with growing alarm, which has created tensions with the academic community and regulatory agencies [2]. Both the USA and the European Commission are currently reviewing the governance of crops produced by genome editing and other new technologies. On the US side, at least, the review process appears unlikely to result in governance approaches that will satisfy parties that are concerned with either over‐ or under‐regulation of such crops, and tension and conflicts about them are likely to heighten. We propose an alternative approach for governance of these crops that may help to defuse tensions and enable exploration of genome editing technologies’ potential while protecting society from harm: a cooperative governance network. Such networks have performed well in …