Editorial

Abstract: The current global debate on the risks and benefits of agricultural biotechnology is often portrayed in the mass media as one of the battlefields of globalisation in which public interest groups fight against the powerful agribusiness industry and its associates in science and government. Yet, this interpretation of the global debate often makes no distinctions between the interests in developed and developing countries, scientific facts and mere speculation, public and private research, or the different biotechnology tools used in different countries. Nor does such a metaphorical portrayal make use of the knowledge available in the social sciences regarding the interests and perceptions involved in the global biotechnology debate. The objective of this special issue is to make such essential distinctions, provide empirical and theoretical research, and present well-informed policy viewpoints from different developing countries. It shall highlight the grey shades of agricultural biotechnology, the potential socioeconomic and environmental risks, as well as the opportunities of this rapidly evolving technology for development