Buddle Emily A, Lawi Gloria Fransisca Katharina, Leach Joan
School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia.
ARC Training Centre for Future Crops Development, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia.
Plant Cell Rep. 2025 Jul 22;44(8):178. doi: 10.1007/s00299-025-03564-0.
Genome-editing (GE) technologies are often described as a promising tool for improving agricultural crops, alongside their expanding applications in food and medical research. However, as scientific advancements in GE crops accelerate, there is growing concern that these technologies may follow a similar trajectory to genetically modified organisms (GMOs)-where innovation outpaces public engagement, potentially leading to scepticism and resistance. There are also issues with innovation occurring in domains outside of their target locale, particularly where research and development for uses in the Global South is occurring in the Global North. Thus, there is an important opportunity to conduct better community engagement and technology socialisation in diverse locales. For example, in Indonesia, where food sovereignty is a national priority, understanding public and institutional attitudes toward biotechnology is essential for shaping effective policy and regulation. This paper draws on the first qualitative exploration of Indonesia's evolving regulatory landscape for gene technologies. Through interviews and media analysis, we examine the perspectives of key stakeholders, including government agencies, NGOs, advocacy groups, and scientists. A recurring theme in our findings is the challenge of "socialisation"-the need for broader public awareness and dialogue about gene technologies, their purpose, and their potential role in Indonesia's agricultural future. We argue that meaningful engagement must occur early in the development process, within the specific social and cultural contexts of Indonesia, to ensure that biotechnology aligns with local needs and values. By integrating social perspectives into regulatory and research agendas, Indonesia can better navigate the complexities of GE crop adoption and governance.
基因组编辑（GE）技术常被视为改良农作物的一项有前景的工具，同时其在食品和医学研究中的应用也不断拓展。然而，随着基因编辑作物科学进展的加速，人们越来越担心这些技术可能会走上与转基因生物（GMO）类似的道路——创新速度超过公众参与度，这可能导致怀疑和抵制。在其目标地区以外的领域也存在创新问题，特别是在全球北方进行的面向全球南方用途的研发。因此，在不同地区开展更好的社区参与和技术社会化有重要契机。例如，在印度尼西亚，粮食主权是国家优先事项，了解公众和机构对生物技术的态度对于制定有效的政策和监管至关重要。本文借鉴了对印度尼西亚基因技术不断演变的监管格局的首次定性探索。通过访谈和媒体分析，我们考察了包括政府机构、非政府组织、倡导团体和科学家在内的关键利益相关者的观点。我们研究结果中一个反复出现的主题是“社会化”的挑战——需要更广泛地提高公众对基因技术、其目的及其在印度尼西亚农业未来中潜在作用的认识并进行对话。我们认为，必须在印度尼西亚特定的社会和文化背景下，在发展过程的早期就进行有意义的参与，以确保生物技术符合当地需求和价值观。通过将社会观点纳入监管和研究议程，印度尼西亚能够更好地应对基因编辑作物采用和治理的复杂性。
