The Analysis of Agricultural Biotechnology Regulation Process in Brazil
Abstract: The aim of this paper is to discuss the co-evolution between agricultural biotechnology and biosafety process, with a special focus on Brazilian case. The rapid diffusion process of transgenic varieties has occurred in parallel with a high transaction cost process of regulation, combining local, territorial, national and supranational evolution of rules and norms involving public sector, private representatives and other stakeholders. In this context, technological complexity and social ambiguity have to be taken into account in the study of the co-evolution of agricultural biotechnology and biosafety regulation. ((Pisano, 1997; MckMeekin, et al. 2000; Meyer e Nikerson, 1998; Silveira et al, 2007; Hall & Martin, 2005; Just, Alston and Zilberman 2006; Phillips, Smyth and Kerrt al, 2006; Silveira et al, 2007 ). The first methodological step is to create a typology of stakeholders based on their position in the regulation process. Once a typology is defined, the second step is to identify the critical factors explaining their behavior. The multicriteria analysis is used to characterize the processes associated to the evolution of agricultural biotechnology and to the improvement of biosafety assessment methods. The multicriteria approach is developed based on the opinion of nearly 60 experts covering the complete span of biotechnology actors in Brazil. Finally, is the aim of the paper to define the friction and convergence zones between those groups.
