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dominate the development of new technologies, including crop varieties (Beinteman
and Stads 2011). By comparison, private sector investment in agricultural research
and development in member countries of the Organization for Economic
Co-operation and Development (OECD) regularly accounts for over 70% of total
expenditure (OECD 2018) and the role and costs of developing new agricultural
technologies has been assumed by a vibrant private sector, driven by competition
for market share. Private sector investment in agricultural research and development
remains low in ESA in part due to small, fragmented markets and a lack of commercial incentive in the region. Given the projected impacts of CC in ESA, increased
investment in crop improvement is vital, as are mechanisms to drive faster rates of
variety turnover to ensure farmers have sustained access to the latest genetics.
6.4 Driving Genetic Gain for CS Traits Through PublicPrivate Partnerships (PPP)
Increasing rates of genetic gain will be fundamental to ensuring plant breeders are
able to react quickly to changing dynamics caused by CC, many of which are difficult to predict (e.g., shifting incidence and severity of pests and disease). Driving
genetic gain for CS traits will require access to appropriate germplasm, reliable
phenotyping platforms for traits of interest, and adoption of modern breeding methods that reduce breeding cycle time. Given the current levels of investment in agricultural research and development in ESA, driving genetic gains for CS traits is
unlikely to be achieved in the near term without the combined efforts of PPPs.
Effective PPPs will utilize the public sector’s experience and capacity in the
region whilst exploiting the emerging private sectors access to regional markets and
expertise in commercial plant breeding, particularly in the case of regional or international companies. Public research institutions in ESA, for example, have developed germplasm adapted to local conditions and are strategically positioned to
establish long term regional phenotyping networks for key CS traits, such as drought
or emerging disease tolerance (e.g., the maize lethal necrosis (MLN) screening
facility in Kenya, developed by the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research
Organization (KALRO) and the International Maize and Wheat Improvement
Center (CIMMYT)).
Conversely, the emerging private sector offers a sustainable route to market
whilst assuming the costs and responsibility for seed production, quality, purity and
distribution. Currently, most small and medium scale enterprise (SME) seed companies in ESA rely on this model to license and commercialise publically developed
varieties, although significant bottlenecks persist in accessing foundation seed and
legal services to enter mutually beneficial licensing agreements (Cramer, this
volume).
The entry of multinational corporation (MNC) seed companies into the ESA
seed market provides an additional opportunity to develop PPPs around technology
B. Das et al.
dominate the development of new technologies, including crop varieties (Beinteman
and Stads 2011). By comparison, private sector investment in agricultural research
and development in member countries of the Organization for Economic
Co-operation and Development (OECD) regularly accounts for over 70% of total
expenditure (OECD 2018) and the role and costs of developing new agricultural
technologies has been assumed by a vibrant private sector, driven by competition
for market share. Private sector investment in agricultural research and development
remains low in ESA in part due to small, fragmented markets and a lack of commercial incentive in the region. Given the projected impacts of CC in ESA, increased
investment in crop improvement is vital, as are mechanisms to drive faster rates of
variety turnover to ensure farmers have sustained access to the latest genetics.
6.4 Driving Genetic Gain for CS Traits Through PublicPrivate Partnerships (PPP)
Increasing rates of genetic gain will be fundamental to ensuring plant breeders are
able to react quickly to changing dynamics caused by CC, many of which are difficult to predict (e.g., shifting incidence and severity of pests and disease). Driving
genetic gain for CS traits will require access to appropriate germplasm, reliable
phenotyping platforms for traits of interest, and adoption of modern breeding methods that reduce breeding cycle time. Given the current levels of investment in agricultural research and development in ESA, driving genetic gains for CS traits is
unlikely to be achieved in the near term without the combined efforts of PPPs.
Effective PPPs will utilize the public sector’s experience and capacity in the
region whilst exploiting the emerging private sectors access to regional markets and
expertise in commercial plant breeding, particularly in the case of regional or international companies. Public research institutions in ESA, for example, have developed germplasm adapted to local conditions and are strategically positioned to
establish long term regional phenotyping networks for key CS traits, such as drought
or emerging disease tolerance (e.g., the maize lethal necrosis (MLN) screening
facility in Kenya, developed by the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research
Organization (KALRO) and the International Maize and Wheat Improvement
Center (CIMMYT)).
Conversely, the emerging private sector offers a sustainable route to market
whilst assuming the costs and responsibility for seed production, quality, purity and
distribution. Currently, most small and medium scale enterprise (SME) seed companies in ESA rely on this model to license and commercialise publically developed
varieties, although significant bottlenecks persist in accessing foundation seed and
legal services to enter mutually beneficial licensing agreements (Cramer, this
volume).
The entry of multinational corporation (MNC) seed companies into the ESA
seed market provides an additional opportunity to develop PPPs around technology
B. Das et al.