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How can smallholder farmers benefit from biotechnology?

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Biotechnology is the use of living organisms or their products to modify or improve human health, agriculture, or the environment. It can offer many benefits to smallholder farmers, who often face challenges such as low productivity, pests, diseases, climate change, and market access. In this article, we will explore some of the ways that biotechnology can help smallholder farmers increase their yields, resilience, and income.

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1 Genetic engineering of crops

One of the most widely used and controversial forms of biotechnology is genetic engineering, which involves altering the DNA of plants to introduce desirable traits, such as resistance to insects, herbicides, drought, or salinity. Genetic engineering can help smallholder farmers reduce their input costs, such as pesticides and fertilizers, and enhance their output quality, such as nutritional value and shelf life. However, genetic engineering also poses some risks and challenges, such as biosafety, intellectual property rights, public acceptance, and regulatory frameworks.

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Gustavo Abratti

Purpose driven biotech business professional thinking about the long term
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While genetic engineering sparks debates in non-agricultural circles, its widespread adoption among farmers and professionals in permitted countries underscores its value. Biotech crops offer tangible benefits for small-scale farmers, irrespective of their landholdings. Insect-resistant crops, for instance, directly enhance yields

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2 Tissue culture and micropropagation

Another form of biotechnology that can benefit smallholder farmers is tissue culture and micropropagation, which involve growing plant cells, tissues, or organs in artificial media under sterile conditions. Tissue culture and micropropagation can help smallholder farmers produce large numbers of healthy and uniform plants from a single source, such as a disease-free or elite plant. This can improve the availability and affordability of planting materials, such as seeds, tubers, or cuttings, and increase the genetic diversity and adaptability of crops.

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3 Biofertilizers and biopesticides

Biotechnology can also help smallholder farmers improve their soil health and crop protection by using biofertilizers and biopesticides, which are living organisms or their products that enhance the nutrient availability or suppress the pests and diseases in the soil or on the plants. Biofertilizers and biopesticides can help smallholder farmers reduce their dependence on chemical fertilizers and pesticides, which can be expensive, harmful, or scarce. They can also improve the soil quality and fertility, and increase the crop yield and quality.

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Gustavo Abratti

Purpose driven biotech business professional thinking about the long term
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Two crucial steps are essential to empower smallholder farmers to reap the benefits of biofertilizers and biopesticides: 1) establishing a well-organized industry that guarantees product quality and accessibility, and 2) providing comprehensive training to farmers on proper application methods and the distinct advantages of biological products, avoiding comparisons to chemicals as this is an unfair assessment. Moreover, the notion of entirely replacing chemicals with biological products is unrealistic. Instead, the future lies in a synergistic approach that leverages the strengths of both types of products.

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4 Molecular diagnostics and vaccines

Biotechnology can also help smallholder farmers detect and prevent the diseases and infections that affect their crops and livestock by using molecular diagnostics and vaccines, which are tools that use DNA or RNA to identify or protect against pathogens, such as viruses, bacteria, fungi, or parasites. Molecular diagnostics and vaccines can help smallholder farmers improve their animal health and welfare, and reduce their losses and costs due to mortality, morbidity, or quarantine. They can also enhance their food safety and security, and comply with the market standards and regulations.

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5 Bioremediation and bioenergy

Biotechnology can also help smallholder farmers mitigate and adapt to the environmental challenges and opportunities by using bioremediation and bioenergy, which are processes that use living organisms or their products to degrade or transform the pollutants or wastes in the environment, or to produce or convert the renewable sources of energy, such as biomass, biogas, or biofuels. Bioremediation and bioenergy can help smallholder farmers reduce their environmental impact and footprint, and increase their resource efficiency and sustainability. They can also create new income streams and value-added products from their waste or surplus materials.

Biotechnology is a powerful and promising tool that can help smallholder farmers overcome many of the constraints and risks that they face in their livelihoods. However, biotechnology also requires careful and responsible application and management, taking into account the ethical, social, economic, and environmental implications and trade-offs. Therefore, smallholder farmers need to be aware, informed, and empowered to access and use biotechnology in a way that suits their needs, preferences, and contexts.

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6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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Gustavo Abratti

Purpose driven biotech business professional thinking about the long term
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In the broad context of biotechnology as the application of biological knowledge to create enhanced products or services, expanding the reach of biotechnology's benefits to smallholder farmers necessitates a concerted effort to enhance their education and facilitate their access to the knowledge, machinery, molecules, and information that form the core of the modern agrobiotechnology value chain. To empower them to adopt sustainable practices and achieve decent incomes, it is crucial to provide guidance and support in adopting appropriate tools and best practices that maximize yields while minimizing environmental impact.

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How can smallholder farmers benefit from biotechnology?

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1 Genetic engineering of crops

2 Tissue culture and micropropagation

3 Biofertilizers and biopesticides

4 Molecular diagnostics and vaccines

5 Bioremediation and bioenergy

6 Here’s what else to consider

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