Crop Biotechnology and Product Stewardship

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Science
• Biotechnology
• Regulatory Science

Background:

• Agricultural biotechnology offers significant benefits for global food security and livelihoods.
• Developing countries are increasingly adopting genetically modified (GM) crops, necessitating robust regulatory frameworks.
• Effective product stewardship is vital for the sustainable commercialization and post-release management of GM crops.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess stakeholder knowledge of agricultural biotechnology benefits and commercialization barriers.
• To identify key areas for capacity building in product stewardship for GM crops.
• To explore strategies for the post-release management of GM crops.

Main Methods:

• A survey was conducted with 66 stakeholders attending international agricultural biotechnology short courses, primarily from Africa and Asia.
• Respondents' knowledge of biotechnology benefits and perceived commercialization barriers were evaluated.
• Stakeholders' ideas for building product stewardship capacity were collected.

Main Results:

• Stakeholders demonstrated awareness of biotechnology's advantages and identified potential hurdles to GM crop commercialization.
• Sixteen GM crops currently in the commercialization pipeline were identified.
• Participants provided insights into enhancing product stewardship for GM crops.

Conclusions:

• Strengthening regulatory compliance and product stewardship is essential for sustainable agricultural biotechnology adoption.
• Capacity building initiatives should focus on various aspects of post-release management, including resistance management and consumer acceptance.
• Shared responsibility across the product lifecycle is key to successful GM crop commercialization and stewardship.