Does genomics empower resource-poor farmers? Some critical questions and experiences

This article explores the possible impact of genomics on the relationship between resource-poor farmers and ‘formal’ agricultural research. It notes that regions of low-resource agriculture serve as reservoirs of genetic diversity and then outlines some ways in which advances in genomics are enabling agricultural researchers to make increased use of this kind of genetic material. The adoption of genomics-based tools by agricultural research programmes will, it suggests, increase the benefits they can obtain from initiatives that elicit germplasm selected by farmers. The interactions between these two processes are examined in two distinct (and contrasting) contexts: maize in China and rice in Vietnam. Both of these case studies confirm that indigenous genetic resources take on greater significance to research systems that are equipped with genomics-based tools. The paper concludes that the ability of resource-poor farmers to demand the provision of research services relevant to their situation may increase as the resources that they control take on greater value to agricultural research.