Business of Agriculture March April 2019 Edition | Page 3

from the
publisher’s desk
Gene Editing is Revolutionising Agriculture!
Almost one billion people, all across the world suffer from chronic malnourishment, while at the same time our
agricultural systems are degrading and exacerbated by the increasing uncertainties of climate change. In the coming
few years, the world is going to face biggest food crisis, as the global population is projected to reach 10 billion by
2050. In order to meet the daily food requirements, we will need to produce 70 percent more food than we do
today.
This would not be possible without the effective use of technology in the agriculture sector. We need cheap, easy-to-
use, and rapidly deployable technology that could make crops more fertile and strengthen their resistance to looming
threats such as: heat; drought; storms; pests; weeds; and depressing farm yields. Imagine the use of such technology
which could make crops more nutritious and tastier, with long shelf lives, and less vulnerable to damage.
Recent advancements in biotechnology and genetic engineering have developed new and promising techniques that
complement a plant breeder’s existing toolbox. One such technology is Gene Editing, which can create variations in
plants by editing DNA sequences in a very precise and targeted manner. This is different from conventional genetic
engineering, as the gene editing does the work that could naturally occur in plants with much more efficiency and
precision. Farmers and food producers were looking to meet consumers’ demands for healthier foods such as: foods
with less allergenic potential; oils with healthier fat profiles; etc. Research and developments in gene editing can
address all of these.
This technology has emerged as a potentially revolutionary technology in transforming agriculture. Gene editing
technology is currently being used in many crops like corn, soybeans, wheat, rice, barley, alfalfa, sunflower, tomato,
etc. This technique could yield crops with better tasting and higher yield, crops that are more resistant to pests and
diseases, and crops that are more tolerant of natural calamities like drought. With the continuous progress made in
the creation of gene-editing tools, gene editing promises to play a significant role in speeding up crop breeding and in
meeting the ever-increasing worldwide demand for food.
Despite all the benefits, its use remains mostly experimental. In March 2018, the United States Department of
Agriculture (USDA) stated that it “does not currently regulate, or have any plans to regulate,” plants that are
developed through most existing methods of gene editing.
The regulatory framework plays an important part in allowing the use of such technologies in the agriculture sector.
The government should also understand the importance of technological intervention in crop improvement. Without
significant involvements from the government’s side it is clear that it will kill this technology in its tracks.
In order to get benefited from this technology, agriculture and food system leaders feel it is imperative to openly and
transparently communicate with stakeholders and consumers about the benefits and responsible use of gene editing.
Happy Reading!
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