Inor Ag. Assmann
52
Brazil is experiencing a multi-diverse en-
vironment in the seed supply chain. From
biotechnology to industrial treatment, along
with the constantly improving processes at
the national processing units, the seeds that
currently reach the Brazilian farmers bear
hardly any similarity to the seeds that they
used to acquire up to 10 years ago. “Now,
definitely, seeds have consolidated as tech-
nological tools, playing a decisive and fun-
damental role for the success of any agri-
cultural activity”, says Céleres Consultancy
CEO Anderson Galvão. The biggest advance
achieved over the past years, in his view, is
the uninterrupted growth of the productive
potential of the seeds in the Country.
“The living organism that is delivered to
the rural producers should be viewed as a
product of high technology and quality”,
he argues. Not by chance, says Galvão, the
value of the seeds has been rising year af-
ter year, seeing that this input provides for
higher productivity rates and, in the end,
brings inmore profits for the farmers. In the
consultant’s view, the scenario for the com-
ing years holds expectations in store and
highlights an agricultural productive sys-
tem characterized by protagonism, which
requires constant investments in research,
development, regulatory aspects and busi-
ness models inherent to all supply chains.
In the scope of biotechnology, accord-
ing to the president of the Brazilian Asso-
ciation of Vegetable Obtainers (Braspov),
Ivo Carraro, the recombinant DNA tech-
nology, which gave rise to transgenic prod-
ucts, can still be viewed as a big step for-
ward and is likely to continue generating
an array of important products for a more
efficient agriculture. However, modern ge-
Stone in the shoe
The fact that biotechnology is inserted in the seed creates a unique condition: the organism seed is subject to two distinct legislations:
Germ plasm is linked to the rules set forth by the Cultivar Protection Law, whilst biotechnology has to comply with the Industrial
Property Law. Therefore, one part of the seed presents better intellectual Protection levels than the other part. Céleres Consultancy
CEO Anderson Galvão views it as one of the biggest fragilities of the Brazilian seed industry. “This distortion ends up making the entire
supply chain more fragile, particularly the licensed seed producers, who possess a smaller capacity to exert industrial protection
instruments and mechanisms in their businesses”, he emphasizes.
A long
netic plant enhancement techniques have
equally been greatly improved, like preci-
sion phenotyping, in order to promote se-
lection efficiency”, he ponders. Following
on its heels, there are novelties on the way,
like Genomic Selection (GW).
Among all breakthroughs, one of the
most revolutionary aspects is known as
CRISPR-Cas9. “It is a genome editing tool
that allows for rapid modification of DNA
in a genomic edition technology”, explains
Carraro. Because of this, it can be used for
inserting resistances in a very efficient man-
ner, as well as for increasing the expression
of the genes associated to tolerances. “It is
a new technology with great potentialities
“, he comments. Céleres consultancy CEO
believes that this new source comes as the
most promising for the next years, as it al-
lows for activating or deactivating specific
characteristics of the organism.
“CRISPR anticipates speedy develop-
ment of new varieties, besides requiring
smaller investments, turning the technology
more democratic and affordable to research
centers, with moderate investments in infra-
structure”, says Galvão. Within this context,
the analyst maintains, it is imperative for the
regulatory framework of biotechnology to
continue on a trajectory of adaptation and
improvement, stemming from the techno-
logical innovations in the field of science.
Biotechbreakthroughs
havetriggered
constantproductive
advancesforthe
differentsupplychains
ofBrazilianagribusiness
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