Planning for the impacts of agrobiotechnologies : A guide for public administrators

Biotechnology involves the use of modern biological procedures to enhance economically desirable traits exhibited by plants, animals and micro‐organisms. These new technologies are currently reaching the stage of commercial application in agriculture. Developing countries will face a major challenge over the next decade as they attempt to develop policies and administrative structures which will allow the successful introduction of agrobiotechnologies while minimizing the socio‐economic disruptions which may accompany rapid technological change. Attempts to provide public sector managers with an operational planning framework which will allow them to anticipate the impacts of biotechnologies in advance of their introduction and, hence, take steps to mitigate the costs associated with their introduction.