Today the European Parliament confirmed its position on the regulation for plants from new genomic techniques (NGTs). This means that this position will be brought forward to trialogues the moment that the Council reaches a general approach.
This is a significant step towards the adoption of this regulation.
Why is this important?
The ability to alter small elements of a plant’s DNA, or to switch specific genes on or off, is sparking a transformation in crop development. By modifying specific genes, plants can yield more, resist pests, tolerate drought, and have improved nutritional content. For farmers, this means higher productivity and premium harvests that meet the growing demands of a rising population without straining natural resources.
Traditional breeding is a slow dance, often taking decades to coax out desirable crop traits. But now with technology we can respond to the needs of the natural environment or consumer trends much quicker. Newer technologies slash the time needed to develop and cultivate new crop varieties. According to a 2023 study by the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC), for some crops this reduction can be from up to 15-50 years of development time down to around 5-8 years.
This enables farmers and researchers to innovate at a speed that keeps up with today’s rapidly changing world. With ever changing weather conditions and the demand for food farmers need better seeds to grow enough food sustainably.
Originally posted on LinkedIn by Petra Kostolaniova.