Biosafety regulation of biotech crops in Ecuador

The area dedicated to biotech crops is consistently increasing worldwide, with South American nations like Brazil, Argentina within the top countries for the largest biotech crop cultivated areas.
Based on databases for genetically modified organisms, Ecuador does not have any cultivated genetically modified plant.
This scenario is mainly due to the Ecuadorian Constitution which was approved in 2008, article 401, which indicates that the importation of transgenic seeds and crops is prohibited in the country.
The Constitution also stipulates that the Government will regulate the use and development of biotechnologies under stringent biosafety measures.
On the other hand, the same article state that, if national interest, and dully justified by the Presidency and supported by the National Assembly, genetically modified crops and seeds could be introduced.
Recently in 2019, the Environmental Organic Code Regulation was approved with a full chapter regarding biosafety; where risk assessment should be performed in biotech crops if DNA sequence is inserted in the final product.
Furthermore, gene editing is a promising tool to genetically improve crops in Ecuador.
Therefore, transgenic-free edited crops could be treated as conventional genetically improved plants.
Research and regulatory aspects regarding biotech crops will be discussed, including transgenic and edited plants.

International Symposium on Biotechnological Tools in Horticulture

E. Santos-Ordóñez, L. Villao

GMO, genetically modified organisms, gene-edited crops, transgenic

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2026.1454.67