The Role of the Private Sector in Providing Biotechnology Access to the Poor

Abstract

The potential of biotechnology to benefit the poor in developing countries is large, and yet, due to economic/regulatory reasons, private-sector research efforts focus on a limited number of key global crops, neglecting many relevant crops and traits that are important to small-scale subsistence farmers. Although it is not within the goals of private companies to develop end-technologies for use in the leastdeveloped countries, these companies could play a more important role in providing intermediary technologies. Certain minimum scientific and regulatory capacities are required to further allow the adaptation of these intermediary technologies to local needs, and in many cases, developing these capacities will require international public assistance. The only way forward is to strengthen privatepublic sector partnerships that focus on specific projects.