Impacts of accelerating agricultural R&D transfer on global food security
Authors: Yan Jin, Zuzana Smeets Kristkova, Maximilian Kardung, Justus Wesseler
Published: 09 December 2024 / GM Crops & Food: Biotechnology in Agriculture and the Food Chain Volume 15, 2024 – Issue 1
Abstract
Postponing the adoption of genome editing (GE) is costly, with lengthy regulatory processes contributing to postponement. Accelerating agricultural research and development (R&D) transfer is important for stimulating sustainable agricultural transitions and enhancing global food security. Using the MAGNET model, we incorporate dynamic R&D accumulation and compare economic projections in scenarios with accelerated R&D transfer. We calculate the cost of delay (COD) from postponing GE adoption. The results show that accelerating R&D transfer in high-income countries impacts economic performance, welfare, and food affordability globally; the annuity of COD ranges from losses of -$1.1 billion (Brazil) to gains of $18.5 billion (Europe). A 3-year acceleration of R&D transfer in all countries benefits middle and low-income countries the most (e.g. China, India, other Asian countries, and Sub-Saharan African countries), with the annuity of COD ranging from -$4.8 billion (Brazil) to $83.9 billion (China). Therefore, streamlining the GE regulatory framework is essential for enhancing food security and global welfare.
Keywords: Agricultural R&D transfer, computable general equilibrium model, cost of delay, genome editing, global food security
Read the full article here: https://doi.org/10.1080/21645698.2024.2438419
Acknowledgements
Funded by the European Union, Horizon Europe Programme through the projects BrightSpace Grant Agreement No 101060075 and GeneBEcon Grant Agreement No 101061015.
Cite this article
Jin, Y., Kristkova, Z. S., Kardung, M., & Wesseler, J. (2024). Impacts of accelerating agricultural R&D transfer on global food security. GM Crops & Food, 15(1), 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1080/21645698.2024.2438419
