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Global Resources and Productivity: Questions and Answers

Q. Why are genetic resources important?

A. Genetic resources are found in all living things. All agricultural commodities, including modern varieties, descend from a variety of wild and improved genetic resources found around the world. As a critical input into agricultural R&D; systems, genetic resources affect domestic and world food security through productivity and onfield vulnerability. Agriculture also depends on diverse genetic resources found in the wild, which help sustain the larger ecosystem in which agriculture operates

Before the development of modern varieties, farmers relied on landraces, or varieties of crops or livestock that evolved and were improved by farmers over many generations without using modern breeding techniques. Modern breeding techniques have helped to lower costs, achieve desired characteristics, and increase yields. Modern varieties now dominate in the production of major cereal crops around the world. It is estimated that genetic improvements have accounted for half the U.S. yield gains in major cereal crops since the 1930's (OTA).

Along with these achievements, however, many scientists believe that the genetic base of major crops has narrowed. Genetic uniformity can increase the risks of pests and diseases spreading throughout a crop, as occurred in the 19th-century Irish potato famine and the Southern corn leaf blight of 1970 in the United States. Breeders continually need fresh genetic resources (including wild relatives and landraces) as they search for traits to maintain or improve yields and to keep high-yielding varieties less vulnerable to pests and diseases.

Thus, the collection, preservation, and sustained use of genetic resources have become critical for continued agricultural productivity and food security. It is estimated that gene banks currently hold more than six million samples of crop varieties, including a majority of the world's cereal landraces (FAO, Plucknett). However, relatively few wild relatives of domesticated varieties are held in gene banks. Furthermore, funding levels for many gene banks are limited, and rapid degradation of the existing pool of genetic diversity in many parts of the world raises concerns that valuable traits could disappear before they can be cataloged and analyzed. These factors suggest that greater investment in collecting and preserving agricultural genetic resources may be needed.

As with conservation of natural habitats, public and private incentives to develop and preserve genetic resources often diverge. Public agricultural research funds breeding that would likely be unprofitable for private breeders. This is especially important in breeding for public good characteristics, such as environmental quality and food security. New varieties of many staple crops grown in developing countries have come from public sector institutions.

Historically, genetic material (including farmer-developed landraces) was regarded as the common heritage of humankind, and developing countries provided free access to their genetic resources. While developing countries may benefit from this exchange in the form of lower food prices, some countries maintain that this system is inequitable. The 1992 U.N. Convention on Biological Diversity, designed to foster the preservation and equitable use of genetic resources worldwide, grants countries sovereign rights to their genetic resources collected after treaty ratification, allowing countries to sell genetic resources or to refuse access to other countries altogether.

Finally, nonagricultural genetic resources also affect the ecosystems in which agriculture operates, another determinant of agricultural productivity. Some genetic resources are imperative for agricultural production. For example, many crops require or benefit from insect pollination, while a variety of micro-organisms enhance and promote soil productivity. In addition, well-functioning ecosystems protect watersheds, prevent soil erosion and flooding, store and recycle organic nutrients and industrial wastes, and help to regulate the climate.

 

For more information, contact: Keith Fuglie

Web administration: webadmin@ers.usda.gov

Updated date: October 19, 2004