Crop Biotechnology and Product Stewardship

Agricultural biotechnology is enhancing agricultural productivity, food security, and livelihoods globally. Some developing countries have established functional biosafety regulatory systems and have commercialized genetically modified (GM) crops. Release of GM crops requires enhanced capacity for regulatory compliance and product stewardship to help ensure sustainable use of biotechnology products. We conducted a survey of 66 stakeholders, mostly from Africa and Asia, in two-week international agricultural biotechnology short courses. Respondents showed knowledge of biotechnology benefits and expressed potential barriers to commercialization. They identified 16 crops in the “pipeline for commercialization.” Stakeholders also shared ideas about how to build capacity for product stewardship. Product stewardship is a concept which requires each person in the product life cycle – innovators, scientists, and technology users, to share responsibility. This paper focuses on adoption of product stewardship for post-release management of GM crops which encompasses trait performance, resistance management, integrated pest management (IPM), good agricultural practices, high-quality seeds and planting material, intellectual property management, labeling, identity preservation, consumer acceptance, and effective marketing.