Biosafety, Bioethics, and IPR Issues in Plant Biotechnology

Plant biotechnology holds great promises for feeding the world’s growing population and for improving the diets of people the world over. To feed the ever-increasing population, global agricultural production may need to be increased by 60–110 % by 2050. First-generation transgenic plants focused on increased yield and other agronomic properties, which primarily benefited agribusiness companies and farmers, whereas the second generation of genetically modified foods emphasized on consumer health. Although concerns over ecological and human health safety have led to doubt over the application of transgenic technology, many of these fears seem unsubstantiated or are based on misinformation.