WORDS OF GREETINGS FROM THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY OF FINLAND TO THE SYMPOSIUM

As Finland is the northernmost country in the world practising agriculture in commercial scale we have always been not only keen, but merely forced to develop new methods and skills to improve the quality and quantity of the yield of our crops to maintain our competitiveness in the common market.

The use of biotechnology, especially the modern forms of genetechnology in food production chain is presently one of the most eagerly discussed research areas in public. It was only a few years ago when the attitude towards the development and the use of these technologies was mainly positive in Finland. This positive spirit still remains when we talk about biotechnology in pharmaceutical or medical applications, but more critical voices are risen when these technologies are applied in food production.

First of all, when we talk about biotechnology we must be clear in our minds what is meant by this term. If defined very broadly, as in the Convention on Biological Diversity which defines biotechnology as 'any technological application that uses biological systems, living organisms, or derivatives thereof, to make or modify products or processes for specific use', it covers many of the tools and techniques that are commonplace in agriculture and food production, such as bread making or various fermentation processes. However, more and more often this term is interpreted in narrower sense to consider only the new DNA techniques, molecular biology and reproductive technologies such as gene manipulation and transfer and cloning of plants and animals.

While the conventional uses of biotechnology are widely accepted, the modern forms especially the genetically modified organisms (GMOs) have become the target of a very intensive and, at times, emotionally charged debate.

Meanwhile the world population continues to grow and is estimated in United Nation Population Report to reach nearly 10 billion by the year 2050. In the World Food Summit 1996 the Heads of States and Governments considered in the Rome Declaration on World Food Security it 'intolerable that more than 800 million people throughout the world, and particularly in developing countries, do not have enough food to meet their basic nutritional needs'.

The shortage of food increases the need to enhance agricultural production and, if possible, to exploit the amount of cultivated land area. However, these possibilities are limited, since cultivable land is already being utilised effectively in many of the overpopulated regions. When marginal sites are turned to agricultural land, drought and/or erosion rapidly degrade the soil until cultivation is no longer possible.

There are additional factors threatening crop cultivation, such as increased urbanisation and other building activities, chemical pollution, desertification and diminished water resources that are consequences of cultivation practices and overgrazing. Furthermore, the warming of the climate, so called greenhouse effect can profoundly change the pattern of global agricultural production.

The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations the FAO recognises, that genetic engineering has the potential to help increase production and productivity in agriculture, forestry and fisheries by e.g. raising the yield levels on marginal lands in developing countries, improving the quality of the raw material as is the case in the pro-vitamin A and iron enriched rice or improve various biotic or abiotic stress tolerances of new varieties of agricultural crops. However, the FAO is also aware of the potential risks posed by certain aspects of biotechnology. These risks fall in two main categories: the effects on human and animal health and the environmental consequences. In the FAO Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture a Code of Conduct on Biotechnology is currently under development. This Code aims at maximising the benefits and minimising the risks of modern biotechnologies on agriculture.

In the European Union the use of gene technologies is strictly controlled in all phases of the production chain from research and field trials to the ultimate commercialisation of the end product e.g. food. There are two Council Directives controlling the development and production phases of genetically modified organisms, namely the Directive 98/81/EC amending the former directive 90/219/EEC on the contained use of genetically modified micro-organisms and the Council Directive 90/220/EEC on the deliberate release in the environment of the GMOs, presently under amendment. Furthermore the Regulation (EC) No 258/97 of the European Parliament and the Council of 27 January 1997 concerning novel foods and novel food ingredients is applied when 'foods and food ingredients containing or consisting of genetically modified organisms' are marketed.

To ensure the safe use and development of gene technology and to prevent and avert any harm to human health, animals, property or the environment that may be caused by the use of genetically modified organisms the risks of every new gm-plant, animal or micro-organism are analysed on the case-by-case basis. According to the precautionary principle the step-by-step approach is used when the use of gm-products is broadened.

In Finland, the EU-Regulations are implemented by Gene Technology Act (no. 377/1995) and Gene Technology Decree (No. 821/1995) both of which are presently under amendment. Functions under Gene Technology Act are carried out by the Board of Gene Technology, which is pointed for a term of five years by the Council of State. The Board of Gene technology is composed of members appointed by the Ministries of Social Affairs and Health, Trade and Industry, Agriculture and Forestry and the Environment. In addition, expertise in ethics should be included in the Board. The Board is subordinate to the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health.

Since the use of modern biotechnology in agriculture is, at the moment, a very important but simultaneously a very delicate issue and because we, bureaucrats, have to face this complex issue almost every day in our decision making, the Department of Agriculture in our ministry is currently preparing its own bio-/genetechnology strategy. In this strategy e.g. the research needs and policy in this field is explored. Furthermore, the preparation of the similar strategy for the whole ministry of Agriculture and Forestry will be started within this year.

In the guiding principle of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry it is stated that 'the task of the Ministry is to create the preconditions for the sustainable and diversified use of renewable natural resources, development of rural industries and recreational activities, and securing the quality of the products based on the renewable natural resources'. In the bio-/genetechnology strategy all aspects of sustainable use, namely ecological, economic, social and cultural sustainability must be taken into consideration. In decision making the interests of various stake-holders including farmers, industry and consumers must be respected and when the pros and cons in every single case are evaluated the solid scientific information of all of these sectors is urgently needed.