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The Role of Biotechnology in Sustainable Agriculture: Views and Perceptions among Key Actors in the Swedish Food Supply Chain

Author

Listed:
  • Karin Edvardsson Björnberg

    (Division of Philosophy, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Brinellvägen 32, SE-100 44 Stockholm, Sweden)

  • Elisabeth Jonas

    (Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, P.O. Box 7023, SE-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden)

  • Håkan Marstorp

    (Department of Soil and Environment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, P.O. Box 7014, SE-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden)

  • Pernilla Tidåker

    (JTI—Swedish Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Engineering, P.O. Box 7033, SE-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden)

Abstract

Researchers have put forward agricultural biotechnology as one possible tool for increasing food production and making agriculture more sustainable. In this paper, it is investigated how key actors in the Swedish food supply chain perceive the concept of agricultural sustainability and the role of biotechnology in creating more sustainable agricultural production systems. Based on policy documents and semi-structured interviews with representatives of five organizations active in producing, processing and retailing food in Sweden, an attempt is made to answer the following three questions: How do key actors in the Swedish food supply chain define and operationalize the concept of agricultural sustainability? Who/what influences these organizations’ sustainability policies and their respective positions on agricultural biotechnology? What are the organizations’ views and perceptions of biotechnology and its possible role in creating agricultural sustainability? Based on collected data, it is concluded that, although there is a shared view of the core constituents of agricultural sustainability among the organizations, there is less explicit consensus on how the concept should be put into practice or what role biotechnology can play in furthering agricultural sustainability.

Suggested Citation

  • Karin Edvardsson Björnberg & Elisabeth Jonas & Håkan Marstorp & Pernilla Tidåker, 2015. "The Role of Biotechnology in Sustainable Agriculture: Views and Perceptions among Key Actors in the Swedish Food Supply Chain," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 7(6), pages 1-18, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:7:y:2015:i:6:p:7512-7529:d:51004
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Hess, Sebastian & Lagerkvist, Carl Johan & Redekop, William & Pakseresht, Ashkan, 2013. "Consumers’ Evaluation of Biotechnology in Food Products: New Evidence from a Meta-Survey," 53rd Annual Conference, Berlin, Germany, September 25-27, 2013 156106, German Association of Agricultural Economists (GEWISOLA).
    2. Hansen, J. W., 1996. "Is agricultural sustainability a useful concept?," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 50(2), pages 117-143.
    3. Robinson, John, 2004. "Squaring the circle? Some thoughts on the idea of sustainable development," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 48(4), pages 369-384, April.
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    5. Matin Qaim, 2009. "The Economics of Genetically Modified Crops," Annual Review of Resource Economics, Annual Reviews, vol. 1(1), pages 665-694, September.
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    Cited by:

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    2. Jiuping Xu & Xianglan Jiang & Zhibin Wu, 2016. "A Sustainable Performance Assessment Framework for Plastic Film Supply Chain Management from a Chinese Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(10), pages 1-23, October.

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