Bioinformatics and nanobiotechnology could revolutionize current agricultural research

San José, Costa Rica, October 2nd ,2012 (IICA). Placing focus on the major challenges facing agriculture today, rather than on the technologies that will enable these challenges to be met, was one of the main conclusions reached at a technical forum on the convergence of technology and innovation in agriculture, held at the headquarters of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA).

During the forum, the specialist in precision agriculture and professor at the University of Florida, Fedro Zazueta, explained that technology is only one of the components of the response to the current major agricultural problems (including mitigation and adaptation to climate change and its increased effect on food security) in an equation that also comprises the economy, health and environmental risks, acceptance of a particular technology by the consumer, as well as the policies and regulations for its use, among other factors.

The forum was also addressed by Silvia Restrepo, Specialist in Bioinformatics and Director of the Biology Department at the Universidad de los Andes (Colombia), as well as Pedro Rocha, Coordinator of the Biotechnology and Biosecurity Area at IICA.

The panelists agreed that the variable conditions facing today’s agriculture, made worse by climate change, and which are impacting food security, can be monitored and countered through progress in areas such as bioinformatics and nanobiotechnology.

Ethics need to be taken into consideration, as Zazueta, Restrepo and Rocha all agree that the cost of both technologies has been reduced and will continue to do so in the future, which affects their availability and reach, while raising the question of most appropriate use.

As an example of cost reduction, it was pointed out that in 2005, the cost to do a complete sequencing of a genome was around US$10 million, while today it costs US$10,000; it is expected to cost US$1,000 within a few months.

The discussion extends to the re-distribution of benefits. According to Arturo Barrera, Manager of the Innovation Program for Productivity and Competitiveness at IICA, technological convergence offers new opportunities, but could intensify social inequalities.

“Biouses” and “Nanosolutions”

According to Restrepo, “Bioinformatics is the new microscope of biology, because it provides an understanding of what happens at the cellular level.” For example, she explained, it facilitates the identification of bacteria and fungi genes that attack different crops, in order to combat them later.

This science also enables the sharing of molecular and genetic information to facilitate research. “We found a pathogen in the potato that is similar to that found in malaria. Since many products have already been developed to fight malaria, we took these products and saw which ones could work for our pathogen. Having this information saved us time and money,” remarked Restrepo.

Nanobiotechnology, on the other hand, facilitates the creation of fertilizers and herbicides, on-site monitoring of environmental factors and plant growth, as well as extension of the useful life of foods, among other applications.

According to Pedro Rocha, “These uses enable precision agriculture to be strengthened, which allows for more rational use of natural resources, the efficiency of the productive process and cost reduction.”

The specialists agreed that whatever the technology may be, efforts should be directed at ensuring that its benefits flow to both small and medium-sized farmers, with responsibility included as an indispensable ethical criterion.

Additionally, Zazuela, Restrepo and Rocha felt that the countries should develop regulatory frameworks that allow them to guarantee safe use of the new technologies in agriculture.

For more information, contact: 
arturo.barrera@iica.int