A summer gift with genetic potential
Just before the summer holidays, we got a new regulatory framework for NGTs (New Genomic Techniques). It may not immediately sound like the perfect headline for some beach reading, but for plant researchers, breeders and anyone interested in the future of food, it was almost as exciting as the prospect of three weeks of sunshine.
For years, the debate around new genomic techniques has been shaped by a regulatory landscape that at times felt like trying to navigate with an old paper map in a GPS world. The technology has developed rapidly, while the regulatory framework has not always kept pace. The new regulation provides an opportunity for a more up-to-date approach, where innovation and risk assessment can go more effectively hand in hand.
That is good news for research. NGTs make it possible to develop crops with improved disease resistance, better resource efficiency and greater resilience to the climate changes that are already affecting agriculture. In short: tools that can help us produce food more sustainably and more precisely.
But regulation is, of course, not a magic wand. Even though the door is now open, results will not come by themselves. We still need investment in research, education and collaboration between universities, authorities and industry. Fortunately, collaboration is something we at the Department of Agroecology have extensive experience with.
The important consequence for us is that we now have a genuine opportunity to translate scientific knowledge into practical solutions. After all, that is why we do research.
So while the summer offered many of us a chance to relax, the NGT field received a much-needed upgrade. Now the exciting work begins. And if regulation is usually considered rather dry material, this may be one of those rare examples where legislation can actually help something grow.