Sustainable plant breeding and its social impacts

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How could new plant breeds improve food security, and what implications could this have for us? The SNSF has awarded seven million Swiss francs to 11 projects on plant breeding innovation.

Humans have long modified plants to meet the growing demand for food and ensure food security. New breeding technologies (NBTs), such as CRISPR/Cas, offer opportunities to improve the resilience and productivity of crops. But how widely are these technologies accepted? Bernice Elger, Head of the Institute of Biomedical Ethics at the University of Basel, is taking a closer look at this in her research project. Elger plans to conduct interviews with key stakeholder groups and survey approximately 400 farmers to better understand their perspectives. Recommendations for Swiss legal regulations will be drafted based on an ethical assessment of the social – and societal – impacts of NBTs. Elger's project is one of 11 supported over the next five years as part of the National Research Programme "Plant Breeding Innovation" (NRP 84).

Solving current problems

NRP 84 funds projects aiming to develop breeding methods for new, sustainable crop varieties. These efforts are designed to enhance global food security, which is increasingly threatened by climate change (Module 1). Additionally, projects like Bernice Elger's shed light on the ethical, social, economic and legal implications of such new procedures (Modules 2 and 3). By the end of 2023, 17 pre-proposals had been submitted in response to a call for projects, and 13 teams were subsequently invited to submit detailed research proposals. The SNSF selected 11 of these projects for funding with some seven million Swiss francs.

National Research Programmes contribute to addressing contemporary issues of national importance. The Federal Council selects the research topics and entrusts the SNSF with implementing these programmes.

Two other funded projects

  • Regulating new breeding technologies. Should new breeding technologies and their products be regulated separately by law, and to what extent can Switzerland shape these regulations? Peter Hettich, Professor of Law for regulated markets at the University of St. Gallen, wants to examine these questions together with his research team. Case studies, conducted through interdisciplinary collaboration with research teams from ETH Zurich, the University of Zurich and Agroscope, comprise an important part of the project. Drawing on these case studies, Hettich's team will assess the risk profile of the new methods and products through the lens of the constitutional precautionary principle. The project aims to define key points for a potential new regulatory framework while considering current legislation, European law and global trade regulations.
  • Developing climate-resilient potatoes. In an international collaboration, researchers from Agroscope, the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences and Wageningen University in the Netherlands are using new breeding technologies to develop potato varieties that are both climate-resilient and require fewer pesticides. Climate change and the emergence of new pathogens are increasingly affecting potato cultivation, increasing the demand for plant protection products. Traditional breeding methods to produce resilient variants are struggling to keep pace. However, new breeding technologies offer the potential for faster, more effective solutions.