The Status of Agricultural Biotechnology and Biosafety in Belarus
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As part of the former Soviet Union, Belarus was a major food producer, particularly of meat and dairy products. However, since gaining independence in 1991, it hardly instituted any structural reforms in the agricultural sector, largely retaining the former system of subsidised collective and state farms. Agricultural production generally declined following independence, but over the last six years, yields have stabilised and even increased in some instances. Private smallholdings contribute sig nificantly to agricultural production. Following the nuclear accident at Chernobyl in 1986, a sizeable area of the productive agricultural land and forest remains contaminated with radioactive fallout. Belarus is a signatory to several international agreements on issues of biosafety and while it has introduced substantial national legislation in this regard, there are, as yet, no transgenic crop varieties grown in the country. Research on genetic engineering of plants, animals and microorganisms is relatively undeveloped and there is room for considerable capacity building. Facilities for field testing and monitoring release of GMOs in the environment are in need of upgrading.