Methodological guidelines for conceptual divergence of bioterrorism, agroterrorism, biosecurity and agrosecurity

Abstract

Due to the possible misuse of weapons of mass destruction (nuclear, chemical, biological, radiological), terrorism has acquired the attributes of a modern global threat - "megaterrorism". Among the potential unwanted scenarios, one of the most realistic is bioterrorism, because biological weapons are the easiest to produce and misuse. At the same time, one of the most realistic scenarios of bioterrorism is agroterrorism, conducted through the misuse of pathogenic microorganisms, toxins and their carriers to intentionally cause infectious diseases and mortality in humans, animals and plants, by polluting agricultural resources, water and food for humans and animals, and by more permanent pollution of the environment. Because of the realistic and possible consequences of "bio-agro-terrorism", a discourse of biosecurity and bioprotection/biodefense has been developed in the theory and practice of security, aimed at protecting the economy, the environment and the health of people and other living beings from diseases and bioterrorism, and within it agrosecurity, which aims at protecting agricultural and food resources from agro-terrorism and its harmful consequences. The Republic of Serbia also tries to follow these trends, which, among other things, includes the implementation of the laws and strategies on food safety. As it is a new multidisciplinary approach in security, numerous conceptual and terminological divergences and convergences around its concept are evident, so the aim of this paper is to differentiate the concepts of bioterrorism, agroterrorism, biosecurity and agrosecurity.