Agri-Food Biotechnology - the Way Forward

Executive Summary

Biotechnology will be one of the core technologies of the 21st Century, and agri-food has been identified as one of the sectors that will benefit significantly from biotechnology's tremendous potential. Agri-food is of major national importance in Ireland, accounting for 30% of our GNP and employing over 175,000 people. The industry is operating in a rapidly changing global environment, however, with increasing competitiveness, globalisation of prices, and consumer demands for food that is safe, nutritious and produced in a sustainable way.

Biotechnology is arguably the only technology that can seriously address these challenges. The molecular techniques of modern biotechnology will enable us to develop, for example, new and improved vaccines, better diagnostic tests for diseases, novel enzymes for use in food processing, more precise ways of identifying the best individuals to use when breeding the next generation, and ultimately provide the consumer with food that is safer, healthier and produced in an environmentally friendly way.

Biotechnology is a high-tech research based technology, and a well developed research infrastructure is essential if we are to create a vibrant agri-food biotech sector. The existing University-Teagasc capability is a sound foundation for a world-class biotechnology establishment, but growing this establishment will require:

Significant long-term investment in developing our R&D facilities
A nationally co-ordinated strategic approach
Strengthening the existing R&D infrastructure

This will help foster a modern competitive agri-food sector and an indigenous biotechnology industry, as well as attracting and anchoring significant inward investment.

The main research priorities identified by the Agriculture and Food Biotechnology Group are:

Food

Develop fast, accurate tests to detect pathogens in food

Use molecular techniques to identify new ways to prevent food poisoning
Investigate ways of improving the nutritional value of Irish food for example by identifying cattle which naturally produce leaner meat
Develop novel functional foods, including pro-biotics, for this rapidly growing niche market
Build on our existing expertise in food starter cultures and bio-processes (used in cheese making, etc.) to yield improved cultures producing industrially useful enzymes, flavours, etc.

Consumer attitudes

Transparent risk assessment processes, an open national dialogue and public involvement in the debate will be essential in communicating to the public the principles, many benefits, safe application and potential risks of biotechnology
Surveys of consumer attitudes will be useful in addressing mis-conceptions about the technology and in predicting future consumer acceptance of biotech foods and products

Protecting the environment

Biotechnology promises to dramatically improve our ability to farm in a sustainable way, and using fewer chemical inputs. Research priorities include:

Develop ways to reduce the risk of pollution to environment; rehabilitate air, soil and water resources that are already polluted
Reduce methane emissions from ruminants, and thus help meet our obligations under the Kyoto Agreement
Develop new ways of treating and recycling manure and other agricultural and agri-food wastes
Assess the safety and environmental impacts of using a GM crops and GM products

Sustainable animal production

Biotechnology will enable us to dramatically improve our ability to detect, treat and prevent diseases and improve the efficiency and genetic merit of our national herds. Research targets include:

New vaccines for the major diseases affecting Irish agriculture will help both to prevent disease and reduce our dependence on antibiotics and drugs
Improved diagnostic kits to test for these diseases, especially ones capable of detecting sub-clinical conditions
Using the latest genome mapping information to improve the speed and efficiency of conventional breeding programmes (ie 'marker assisted breeding'), with a view to improving the disease resistance and genetic merit of the national herds
Improving the fertility of the high-yielding dairy cow; other targets include a sperm sexing technique and an automated heat detection device for use with suckler herds

Sustainable crop production

The first genome map for a plant species will be finished this year and the information will revolutionise our ability to produce new and improve plant varieties. Irish research priorities must include:

Improved grass varieties, and new crop varieties adapted for the Irish conditions
Reducing the use of pesticides and herbicides, by designing improved biological pest control systems, and breeding crop varieties with greater disease resistance