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China food security: new draft rules ‘open the door’ for gene-edited crops
- The draft rules stipulate that once gene-edited plants have completed pilot trials, a production certificate can be applied for
- Gene editing is a newer technology that is seen as less risky than GM because it does not involve adding any foreign genes to a plant
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China has published trial rules for the approval of gene-edited plants, paving the way for faster improvements to crops.
The new guidelines, published by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs late on Monday, come amid a raft of measures aimed at overhauling the country’s seed industry, which is seen as a weak link in efforts to ensure national food security.
Beijing has also recently passed new regulations that set out a clear path for approval for genetically modified (GM) crops.
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Gene editing is a newer technology that is seen as less risky than GM because it does not involve adding any foreign genes to a plant.
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Instead, scientists ‘edit’ or alter genes already in a plant to improve or change its performance, aiming for better yields or increased nutrients.
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