Green Biotech
While biotechnology is often associated with therapeutics such as drugs and diagnostics, myriad applications exist in other sectors. These charts illustrate the global distribution of agricultural biotechnology activities. While absolute measures such as the number of hectares planted with genetically modified (GM) crops (right) may indicate a strong market opportunity in a country, it is also important to consider how much of a country’s arable land is planted with these crops (left). For example, Paraguay sows 89 percent of its arable land in GM crops. In addition, it is interesting to note where biotechnology companies are conducting their field trials (bottom). In Switzerland, for instance, all GM field trials run by domestic companies take place in other countries. The level of adoption of GM crops and the location of field trials sponsored by domestic companies can indicate R&D and market opportunities for agricultural biotechnology.
SOURCES: OECD Biotechnology Statistics, 2009. James, Clive. 2008. Global Status of Commercialized Biotech/GM Crops: 2008. ISAAA Brief No. 39. ISAAA: Ithaca, NY UNU-MERIT GM Field trials database, Maastricht, the Netherlands, April 2009.
Another non-therapeutic application of biotechnology is industrial biotechnology. Because
industrial biotechnology has applications in so many different sectors, assessing its distribution requires a global sector-by-sector look. Global perspectives on biofuels are presented here. As with the other measures, it is important to consider both the absolute measures of utilization and the relative utilization. Large companies generally dominate in absolute measures by simple virtue of their size, and this may indicate strong market opportunities; smaller countries with strong relative utilization or productivity can indicate strong R&D or niche-market opportunities.
SOURCE: OECD Biotechnology Statistics, 2009.
