Agricultural biotechnology and globalization: U.S. experience with public and private sector research

Abstract

This paper examines the challenges and opportunities facing the agricultural biotechnology sector as it works to sustain innovations and further propagate its benefits into the new century. Drawing on US experience, we survey the milestones of technological, legal and economic precedence and discuss institutional mechanisms for public and private partnership that can help agricultural biotechnology fulfil its immense promise. In particular, we emphasize the importance of the public sector in facilitating private agency, via promotion of basic research, dissemination of innovations, and as a guarantor of property rights