science & technology innovations in agriculture · science & technology innovations in...
TRANSCRIPT
Achim Dobermann
TG 7 – Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems
Expert Group Meeting on “Science and Technology for Sustainable Development Goals”, SDSN and UN-DESA,
Columbia University, New York, 16 December 2013
Science & Technology Innovations in Agriculture
Total factor productivity is the primary source of growth in agriculture – but is highly variable among countries
Source: K. Fuglie et al., 2012
S&T role
How can we ensure that all countries have high TFP growth? How can we accelerate S&T for sustainable agricultural intensification?
Time (years)
Ado
ptio
n
0 30
Basic research Technology development
Challenge: long lag +mes from research to large impact of new technologies
Release
10 20
10-15 years of R&D Variable, slow adoption Disadoption
Annual adoption rate
Cumulative adoption
<20 to >90%
The problem of too much water
20 million ha affected by floods in South and Southeast Asia Growing problem with climate change Rice is only crop suitable, but ‘drowns’
The problem of too much water
Samba-Sub1
Samba Samba-Sub1
IR64-Sub1 IR49830 (Sub1)
IR64 IR42
IR64
IR64-Sub1
Samba-Sub1
IR49830 (Sub1)
Samba
IR64
IR64-Sub1 IR49830 (Sub1)
IR42
IR64-Sub1
IR64
IR49830 (Sub1) IR49830 (Sub1)
IR42
Samba
IR42
Samba
Gene for submergence tolerance (sub1) found in a local variety (FR13A) and moved into popular “mega-varieties”
FR13A
Science innovation: flood-tolerant rice
2006: Swarna-Sub1 developed by marker assisted backcrossing
Farmers’ submergence tolerant landraces collected, including FR13A Farmers’ submergence tolerant landraces collected, including FR13A
1950 1978 1990 2000 2010
Gene bank screened; FR13A identified Gene bank screened; FR13A identified toltol. combined . combined
agronomic features agronomic features
Fine mapping & marker development initiated
2002: Swarna crossed with IR49830-7 (Sub1)
2006: Sub1-A gene conferring submergence tolerance
Sub1 in Indonesia, Philippines Sub1 in Indonesia, Philippines
2008: Sub1-A mode of action: inhibit response to GA
2010: Two Sub1 varieties released in Bangladesh
Science innovation: flood-tolerant rice
Spillover: sub1 varieties in SE Asia; wide use of sub1 gene in public and private sector breeding (Africa, Asia, South America)
Diffusion of flood-tolerant rice through PPP
October 2010, Mymensingh, Bangladesh
Local variety: re-planted after total loss due to flood
2013: new Sub1 varieties reached >4 million farmers in Asia Free “crop insurance” Yield advantage of 1-1.5 t/ha; earlier harvest
Swarna-Sub1: recovered after 17 d flood
Impact
How to accelerate S&T impact? • R&D:
– Precise product profiling (gene targeting): digital spatial technologies, market research
– Speed up gene discovery and trait development: genomics, phenomics, bioinformatics
– Precision breeding pipelines with high-throughput technologies to cut variety development time in half
• Policy: – Modernize variety release procedures and seed laws – Incentives for developing a vibrant private seed sector
Source: Sutton, M.A. et al. 2012).
Full Chain NUEN,P
The problem: Low nitrogen use efficiency
• Apply only moderate amount of N
• Increase amount in proportion to crop yield
Early • Apply at critical growth
stages
• PI application at 60 days before harvest
• Vary N based on crop N needs and status
Active tillering & PI
Early growth Active tillering
Panicle initiation Maturity Heading
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 days
-20 -10 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 DAT
Transplanting
Direct seeding
Heading • Diagnose need for extra N
S. Peng, K. Cassman, C. Witt, R. Buresh, A. Dobermann, IRRI
Science innovation: Site-specific N management
• 10-20% more yield and profit • 30-50% greater N use efficiency • Less fossil fuel • Less N2O emissions • Less water pollution • Less pests (and pesticides)
R&D 1992-2005 demonstrated:
Science innovation: Site-specific N management
How to achieve behaviour change in +100 million rice
farmers?
User interface: obtain information
from farmer Personal computer
Smartphone
Actionable field advice
Printed guidelines
SMS Image on Smartphone
Cloud based server Localized databases and
spatial information • Administrative units • Variety traits • Climate-based yield targets • Climatic risks • Soil and water information • Providers of inputs,
services, knowledge
Rice Crop Manager app
Diffusion: Smartphone applications for farmers
Ag Professionals
NMRice fertilizer recommendations by region in the Philippines. Total of 18,796 from Jan 2012 – 30 Sept 2012
Source: IRRI NM webapps analytics; includes web and Android but not IVR
How to accelerate S&T impact? • R&D:
– Precise product profiling (targeting): market research – Invest more in S&T to accelerate product
development (public and private)
• Policy: – Incentives for farmers to adopt more resource-
efficient technologies: smart subsidies – Broadband internet access – Incentives and opportunities for people and private
sector: business models, financing and professional skill development for services providers
Maize C4
Rice C3
Grain yield = 13 tons/ha
Grain yield = 9 tons/ha
A C4 rice could increase grain yield, water and nitrogen use efficiency by 30-50%. No other mechanism exists that could deliver that superior combination of benefits.
C3 Anatomy Change
Biochem Change
Fine Tuning + + + = C4
Innovation: Re-engineering photosynthesis
Gene discovery
and molecular toolbox
development
Characterize regulatory controls
Transform rice to express Kranz
anatomy and the C4
metabolic enzymes
Optimize C4 function
in transgenic
rice
Breed C4 transgenics into local varieties
3 years
3 years
5 years 4 years
The timeline for C4 rice
• 15-20 years of R&D needed • Global effort • PPP • Wide access to IP
How to accelerate S&T impact? • R&D:
– Explore different routes, potential breakthroughs – Increase public investment in basic research – Leverage public and private sector know-how
• Policy: – Long-term commitment – Ensure wide access to IP
Global public and private spending on all types of R&D in 2009
162 countries, excluding E-Europe and FSU P. Pardey et al., 2013
81% in just 10 countries 33% in the USA alone 66% private sector
Total: US$ 1.1 trillion (2005 PPP$) Agriculture: US$ 53 billion (5%) (~60% public, 40% private)
Structure of public food and agricultural research worldwide, 2009
P. Pardey et al., 2013
Annual rate of return on investments in public agricultural R&D: 20-80%
$34.1 billion (2005 PPP$)
Private food and agricultural R&D in the rich countries, 1970-2009
24 countries P. Pardey et al., 2013
More public and private investments in agricultural S&T
• Increase funding for public agric. R&D in all countries.
• Target 10b: • Low- and middle-income should spend at least
10% of natl. budget on agriculture, including at least 1% of agricultural GDP on R&D in their country (currently: ~0.5% or less)
• ODA: spend at least 10% on agriculture
• Create IP laws, other regulations, technology incentives that encourage greater private sector investments in S&T as well as wide access to innovations.