ABSTRACT
Sustainability is arguably the most important conceptual framework in modern policymaking. The classic conceptualisation of sustainable development can be found in the Brundtland report. Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) often refer to sustainability terminology and, in fact, most of the smaller debates by NGOs fit into a three-dimensional model of sustainable development: there are debates about environment and human health, about economic efficiency and about social impact of genetically modified (GM) crops. The debate on the possible human health risks from GM crops started with the scientific community from the Pusztai research controversy. The major issue discussed in the economic debates on GM crops are the yields, input costs and economic benefits to farmers and consumers when GM and organic agricultural techniques are compared. The most discussed issues about GM crops' relevance to the social aspects of international development have been their impacts on small farmers in developing countries, possibility to alleviate hunger and malnutrition and capacity to provide food security.
