Hardback
Biotechnology, Agriculture and the Developing World
The Distributional Implications of Technological Change
9781840646795 Edward Elgar Publishing
How will the industrial changes implicit within new biotechnologies affect modern agriculture? This book investigates these changes and provides an economic analysis of the industrial and distributional impacts of new biotechnologies, addressing in detail the significant consequences for developing countries.
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Critical Acclaim
Contributors
Contents
More Information
How will the industrial changes implicit within new biotechnologies affect modern agriculture? This book investigates these changes and provides an economic analysis of the industrial and distributional impacts of new biotechnologies, addressing in detail the significant consequences for developing countries.
One of the most important facets of biotechnological change is the development of new technologies for appropriating the value of innovations in related industries. In agriculture these new appropriation technologies are known as ‘genetic use restriction technologies’, which enable the innovator to capture the value of innovative plant varieties by preventing their reproduction after purchase. This book analyses the implications of such technologies in terms of global agricultural production, the rate of innovation at the technological frontier and, in particular, the diffusion of these innovations across the globe. The authors set forth the economic and institutional framework within which innovations are occurring, focusing on the impacts on the least technologically advanced nations and their incentives to conserve genetic resources for use in future research and development.
This stimulating book should be widely read by agricultural and resource economists, development economists, and scholars and researchers of environmental economics. Policymakers in developing countries will also gain valuable insights into the distribution of the potential benefits from biotechnology.
One of the most important facets of biotechnological change is the development of new technologies for appropriating the value of innovations in related industries. In agriculture these new appropriation technologies are known as ‘genetic use restriction technologies’, which enable the innovator to capture the value of innovative plant varieties by preventing their reproduction after purchase. This book analyses the implications of such technologies in terms of global agricultural production, the rate of innovation at the technological frontier and, in particular, the diffusion of these innovations across the globe. The authors set forth the economic and institutional framework within which innovations are occurring, focusing on the impacts on the least technologically advanced nations and their incentives to conserve genetic resources for use in future research and development.
This stimulating book should be widely read by agricultural and resource economists, development economists, and scholars and researchers of environmental economics. Policymakers in developing countries will also gain valuable insights into the distribution of the potential benefits from biotechnology.
Critical Acclaim
‘. . . the volume offers many interesting calculations and insights.’
– Robert E. Evenson, Yale University, US
– Robert E. Evenson, Yale University, US
Contributors
Contributors: N. Cuffaro, W.W. Fisher, T. Goeschl, G. Hawtin, T. Hodgkin, V. Santaniello, C. Spillane, C.S. Srinivasan, T.M. Swanson, C. Thirtle, C. de Vicente
Contents
Contents:
Introduction
1. Biotechnologies and Developing Countries: How Will the Anticipated Industrial Changes in Agriculture Affect Developing Countries?
Timothy Swanson
PART I: SETTING THE SCENE: THE FRAMEWORK FOR CONSIDERING BIOTECHNOLOGY’S IMPACTS
2. Population Growth and Agricultural Intensification in Developing Countries
Nadia Cuffaro
3. The Impacts of GURTs: Agricultural R&D and Appropriation Mechanisms
Timothy Swanson and Timo Goeschl
4. Agricultural Biotechnology and Developing Countries: Proprietary Knowledge and Diffusion of Benefits
Charles Spillane
PART II: A CASE STUDY ON TERMINATORS: THE IMPACTS OF BIOTECHNOLOGIES ON BENEFIT DISTRIBUTION
5. The Impact of Terminator Gene Technologies on Developing Countries: A Legal Analysis
William W. Fisher
6. Impact of Terminator Technologies in Developing Countries: A Framework for Economic Analysis
C.S. Srinivasan and Colin Thirtle
7. The Impact of GURTs on Developing Countries: A Preliminary Assessment
Timothy Swanson and Timo Goeschl
8. Forecasting the Impact of Genetic Use Restriction Technologies: A Case Study on the Impact of Hybrid Crop Varieties
Timo Goeschl and Timothy Swanson
PART III: BIOTECHNOLOGY AND BIODIVERSITY: THE IMPACTS OF BIOTECHNOLOGIES ON CONSERVATION OF GENETIC RESOURCES
9. Key Issues in Using Molecular Techniques to Improve Conservation and Use of Plant Genetic Resources
Carmen de Vincente, Toby Hodgkin and Geoffrey Hawtin
10. Biotechnology and Traditional Breeding in Sub-Saharan Africa
Vittorio Santaniello
CONCLUSION
11. Policy Options for the Biotechnology Revolution: What Can be Done to Address the Distributional Implications of Biotechnologies?
Timothy Swanson and Timo Goeschl
Index
Introduction
1. Biotechnologies and Developing Countries: How Will the Anticipated Industrial Changes in Agriculture Affect Developing Countries?
Timothy Swanson
PART I: SETTING THE SCENE: THE FRAMEWORK FOR CONSIDERING BIOTECHNOLOGY’S IMPACTS
2. Population Growth and Agricultural Intensification in Developing Countries
Nadia Cuffaro
3. The Impacts of GURTs: Agricultural R&D and Appropriation Mechanisms
Timothy Swanson and Timo Goeschl
4. Agricultural Biotechnology and Developing Countries: Proprietary Knowledge and Diffusion of Benefits
Charles Spillane
PART II: A CASE STUDY ON TERMINATORS: THE IMPACTS OF BIOTECHNOLOGIES ON BENEFIT DISTRIBUTION
5. The Impact of Terminator Gene Technologies on Developing Countries: A Legal Analysis
William W. Fisher
6. Impact of Terminator Technologies in Developing Countries: A Framework for Economic Analysis
C.S. Srinivasan and Colin Thirtle
7. The Impact of GURTs on Developing Countries: A Preliminary Assessment
Timothy Swanson and Timo Goeschl
8. Forecasting the Impact of Genetic Use Restriction Technologies: A Case Study on the Impact of Hybrid Crop Varieties
Timo Goeschl and Timothy Swanson
PART III: BIOTECHNOLOGY AND BIODIVERSITY: THE IMPACTS OF BIOTECHNOLOGIES ON CONSERVATION OF GENETIC RESOURCES
9. Key Issues in Using Molecular Techniques to Improve Conservation and Use of Plant Genetic Resources
Carmen de Vincente, Toby Hodgkin and Geoffrey Hawtin
10. Biotechnology and Traditional Breeding in Sub-Saharan Africa
Vittorio Santaniello
CONCLUSION
11. Policy Options for the Biotechnology Revolution: What Can be Done to Address the Distributional Implications of Biotechnologies?
Timothy Swanson and Timo Goeschl
Index
