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April 24, 2008
International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI)
Discussion Paper No. 762
Plant Genetic Resources for Agriculture, Plant Breeding, and
Biotechnology - Experiences from Cameroon, Kenya, the
Philippines, and Venezuela
José Falck-Zepeda, Patricia Zambrano, Joel I. Cohen, Orangel
Borges, Elcio P. Guimarães, Desiree Hautea, Joseph Kengue, and
Josephine Songa
April 2008
Abstract
Local farming communities
throughout the world face binding productivity constraints,
diverse nutritional needs, environmental concerns, and
significant economic and financial pressures. Developing
countries address these challenges in different ways,
including public and private sector investments in plant
breeding and other modern tools for genetic crop
improvement. In order to measure the impact of any
technology and prioritize investments, we must assess the
relevant resources, human capacity, clusters, networks and
linkages, as well as the institutions performing
technological research and development, and the rate of
farmer adoption.
However, such measures have not been recently assessed, in
part due to the lack of complete standardized information on
public plant breeding and biotechnology research in
developing countries. To tackle this void, the Food and
Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO), in
consultation with the International Food Policy Institute
(IFPRI) and other organizations, designed a plant breeding
and biotechnology capacity survey for implementation by FAO
consultants in 100 developing countries.
IFPRI, in collaboration with FAO and national experts
contracted by FAO to complete in-country surveys, identified
and analyzed plant breeding and biotechnology programs in
four developing countries: Cameroon, Kenya, the Philippines,
and Venezuela. Here, we use an innovation systems framework
to examine the investments in human and financial resources
and the distribution of resources among the different
programs, as well as the capacity and policy development for
agricultural research in the four selected countries. Based
on our findings, we present recommendations to help sustain
and increase the efficiency of publicly- and
privately-funded plant breeding programs, while maximizing
the use of genetic resources and developing opportunities
for GM crop production. Policy makers, private sector
breeders, and other stakeholders can use this information to
prioritize investments, consider product advancement, and
assess the relative magnitude of the potential risks and
benefits of their investments.
Full text: Color:
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