Genetically Modified Food Worldwide IP Challenges

There are complex GM-food-IP links. This article highlights sustainability and socioeconomic impacts, acknowledging that food safety is also a crucial part of food security. GM food plants has so far not contributed adequately to food security. Patent enforcement creates tension and power asymmetries between corporations and farmers. While Bt-transgenic plants lead to reduced spraying of pesticides compared to conventional farming, herbicide tolerant plants increase pesticide load. Moreover, the search for drought resistance in plants seem, this far, to be better off with conventional breeding. IP protection promotes modern biotechnology options, but may impede biodiversity and small-scale local innovation by farmers