Miracle or menace? : biotechnology and the third world / by Robert Walgate.
- Walgate, Robert
- Date:
- [1990]
Licence: Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)
Credit: Miracle or menace? : biotechnology and the third world / by Robert Walgate. Source: Wellcome Collection.
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![152 Miracle or menaceì suggest quite the opposite. And, adds Rutger: So-called 'two-line hybrids' are already in existence in China. The Chinese claim they will have them in use commercially by 1991. They have also told IRRI they will not be releasing these, either. One can't help wondering if a US company will tum out to have exclusive rights to the germplasm and development of these. China, like many other developing countries, clearly wishes to make a profit on the marketing of its own technological developments by selling the rights to private companies. But, as Rockefeller's Gary Toenniessen says: The down side of the privatisation of biotechnology research is that the international research system based upon collaborative efforts will inevitably suffer. Every country wants to get in on a piece of the action. But if you allow a multinational company to take out a patent on the development of your germplasm then there will inevitably be restriction placed upon it [the country] to protect the investment a company makes. Many lARCs are increasingly turning to private companies for research funding. Toenniessen believes that the Chinese hybrid rice experience will have a profound effect on lARCs in future: It is bound to inform their willingness to get involved with private industry. FOCUS ON INDIA'S TRO-POOR' BIOTECHNOLOGY Among developing countries, India is better placed than most to capitalise on biotechnology. It has large numbers of scientists, is fast acquiring expertise in DNA technology, and has a well- developed indigenous industry. So how is it mixing public and private interests? As biotechnology's potential for improving health and raising food production became clear, the Indian Government decided to give biotechnology the same high priority it gave atomic energy in the 1950s. A Department of Biotechnology was created in 1986 and was brought under the Ministry of Science, which is in the charge of the Prime Minister. The 1989-90 budget for the department stood at US$35 million. To date, India has invested about US$120 million in the biotechnology programme. It will rise to US$650 million during the eighth plan (1990-95). According to the department, indigenous biotechnology research is expected to lead to the generation of products worth US$1,500 million per year, beginning in 1995.](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b18035644_0163.JP2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
