[W]hile gene editing has had the potential to reduce inputs, improve nutrition, and “climate proof” our food supply, little has materialized in the way of technologies adopted at scale. The lack of progress is due to two factors. First, the seasonality of agriculture leads to long timelines to commercialization—making investment within this sector difficult. Second, strong consolidation around genetics for major industry players and the lack of substantial independent distribution channels have forced many startups to try to partner with an increasingly small pool of large corporations to gain market access.
The lack of competition has decreased incentives to acquire and develop new technologies and has wreaked havoc on investor interest in gene editing innovation within agriculture. What’s more, having very few gatekeepers to the market has dangerously hampered technology adoption and access for farmers.
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As gene editing is deployed to tackle sustainability challenges, care should be taken to ensure that commercialization proceeds in a way that promotes competition. Care should also be taken to ensure that innovations in technologies and business models support equitable values, that is, values that are consistent with resilient markets and financial stability in farming.
