CRISPR technologies addressing agribusiness problems

Abstract

This paper analyzed the approach that new biotechnological strategies offer to agribusiness problems. CRISPR technologies have been testing for more than 10 years the development of different plants with particular characteristics that can offer solutions to different problems and challenges of agribusiness(1, 2). Initial problems were considered, which are typical of industry-environment interaction(3, 4); emerging problems arising from agroindustrial activity; legal or regulatory problems(5, 6); and the growing “social rejection” was identified as a problem of agroindustry.It was observed that the developments aim at solving the initial problems by offering resistance to climatic, biotic and pesticide factors, and that the solutions offered are similar to those of transgenesis but with a wider scope. Numerous studies explicitly state the intention to develop transgen-free plants in order to avoid the time required for commercial approval(7). These results enable the identification of two concerns. The first one refers to the further development of herbicide-resistant plants, since their application may lead to an increase in emerging problems. The second refers to the neglect of a whole list of problems and damages that affect the environment and the community, which despite being partially recognized in some research, are not addressed. Pending questions: What is the level of knowledge about these technologies in the communities? What do they think about them?