Regulatory landscape for new breeding techniques (NBTs): insights from Paraguay

The MAG implemented a process to evaluate whether crops derived from these new technologies are subject to the regulation of genetically modified organisms (GMOs), according to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety. The classification resulting from this procedure divides crops into conventional or non-conventional, based on the use of genetic engineering techniques and the creation of new combinations of genetic material. The procedure, carried out by the National Commission on Agricultural and Forestry Biosafety (CONBIO), prioritizes a detailed case-by-case evaluation, without using pre-established lists of techniques or classification systems. It is not a risk assessment, but rather a determination of whether NTBs could result in genetic changes similar to those achieved through traditional or natural breeding methods. This approach provides certainty to developers about the regulatory status of a product and is based on scientific considerations of NTBs.