Culture and Religion

This chapter commences by referencing definitions of religion and the understanding of culture. However, the scope of these two concepts in the global arena is daunting. It is difficult to provide a comprehensive definition of religion or culture since different definitions are used for different purposes. When looking at religious and cultural relationships with genetically modified organisms (GMOs), the most important thing to understand is that the beliefs, habits, and rituals attached to religion and culture are so deeply rooted, and that these undercurrents of human thought possess the power to decide if something is acceptable or unexceptionable, in an instant. The speed at which religion and culture can deem something welcomed or unwelcomed is why it is critical to understand the potential religious and cultural interpretations of agricultural biotechnology (agbiotech) before the opposition begins. It is prudent, and preferable, to engage in this understanding on the front end of research and development. The future of agbiotech rests in true cooperative engagement across all sectors of the agricultural network and this requires a strong religious and cultural understanding of how biotechnology might play into a region’s agricultural landscape.