Role of Biotechnology in Climate-Resilient Agriculture

The 21st century has pushed agriculture to a turning point. The global population is expected to reach about 9.7 billion by 2050, creating huge demand for food and putting pressure on farmland. At the same time, climate change is making farming harder — higher temperatures, unpredictable rains, longer droughts, rising salinity, more pests, and falling soil fertility. The FAO estimates agricultural productivity must rise significantly by 2050 to meet food needs. Traditional farming alone will not be enough.

This is where agricultural biotechnology (agri-biotech) helps. By combining molecular biology, genetic engineering, bioinformatics, and microbial solutions, agri-biotech builds climate-smart agriculture, improves crop resilience, and supports food security.

What is agricultural biotechnology? (simple definition)

Agricultural biotechnology uses modern biology tools to improve crops, livestock, and farming methods. It goes beyond old-style breeding by being faster and more precise. Core areas include:

Key areas of agri-biotech

• Genetically Modified (GM) crops — crops engineered for pest, drought, or disease resistance (examples: Bt cotton).
• Molecular breeding / Marker-Assisted Selection (MAS) — using genetic markers to pick the best traits faster than traditional breeding.
• Plant tissue culture & micropropagation — rapid cloning of elite plants for commercial farming and nurseries.
• Microbial biotechnology — biofertilizers, biopesticides, and microbial inputs that improve soil health and nutrient cycling.
• Synthetic biology & CRISPR gene editing — precise tools (like CRISPR) to edit crop genes for desired traits.

These technologies support sustainable intensification — producing more on existing land while reducing environmental harm.

Agri-Biotech in the era of climate change (how it helps)

1. Drought and heat-resistant crops (crop resilience)

Rising temperatures and irregular rainfall threaten staple crops. Agri-biotech develops drought-tolerant and heat-resistant varieties — for example, drought-tolerant maize and climate-smart rice.

• Example: DroughtGuard maize (Monsanto/Bayer) has been used in parts of Africa.
• Example: Swarna-Sub1 rice helps farmers in flood-prone areas recover yields after long submergence.

2. Salinity and flood tolerance (coastal and delta farming)

Coastal farms face saltwater intrusion. Through gene transfer and marker-assisted breeding, scientists are creating salt-tolerant rice and barley so farmers in deltas and coastal plains can keep growing crops despite rising sea levels.

3. Pest and disease resistance (lower chemical use)

Climate change shifts pest patterns and increases diseases. Bt crops (like Bt cotton) reduced pesticide use and costs for many farmers. New tools such as RNA interference (RNAi) aim to silence harmful pest genes, giving targeted pest control with less environmental harm.

4. Improved nutrient use efficiency (reduce fertilizer pollution)

Fertilizer-heavy farming causes greenhouse gases and runoff. Agri-biotech works on crops with better nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) and phosphorus uptake, reducing fertilizer needs. Biofertilizers based on Rhizobium, Azospirillum, and mycorrhizae are growing in use as sustainable alternatives.

5. Biotechnology for soil and water health (microbiome & precision irrigation)

Microbial inoculants, such as PGPR (Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria), improve soil structure, nutrient cycling, and plant stress tolerance. In water-scarce areas, precision agriculture combines sensors, satellite data, and biological insights to apply water and inputs more efficiently.

Global market trends in agri-biotech (industry snapshot)

The agri-biotech sector is a major economic force. Key growth drivers include:

• Wider adoption of GM crops (corn, soybean, cotton).
• Rising demand for biofertilizers and biopesticides.
• Investment in gene-editing tools like CRISPR.
• Growth of agritech startups focused on vertical farming, microbial inputs, and climate-smart solutions.

Major industry players include Bayer CropScience, Corteva, BASF, and Syngenta, alongside many startups innovating in vertical farming, microbiome engineering, and digital agriculture.

Indian perspective: agri-biotech at home (short, local context)

India must feed a large population while facing climate variability. The country’s agri-biotech sector is growing with support from institutions like BIRAC, government policies, and the private sector. Highlights:

• Bt cotton is India’s most widely adopted GM crop.
• Rice, maize, and pulses are being improved for drought and pest resistance.
• Startups such as Stellapps, String Bio, and BioPrime AgriSolutions work on animal health, microbial biotech, and agri-inputs.
• India is also strong in plant tissue culture, especially for horticulture and floriculture.

Challenges facing agri-biotech (what needs fixing)

• Regulatory hurdles — strict GMO approvals can slow commercialization.
• Public perception — concerns about safety and long-term effects of GM crops.
• High R&D costs — creating climate-resilient crops needs big investment.
• Access for small farmers — ensuring new tech reaches marginal and smallholder farmers is critical for impact and equity.

Career paths in agri-biotech (for students and young professionals)

The sector offers many roles, including:

• R&D scientist (crop genetics, molecular breeding, tissue culture).
• Bioproduct development specialist (biofertilizers, biopesticides, nutraceuticals).
• Quality assurance & regulatory affairs (biosafety, compliance).
• Agri-business consultant (linking biotech to farm practices).
• Startup founder / entrepreneur (precision farming, microbial inputs, supply-chain tech).

Valuable skills: genomics, CRISPR, bioinformatics, microbial biotechnology, and data science for precision agriculture.

Future of agri-biotech: towards sustainable food systems (what’s next)

Biotechnology will increasingly pair with AI, IoT, and digital agriculture. Emerging trends include:

• Precision gene editing for targeted traits.
• Vertical farming for urban and protected agriculture.
• Microbiome engineering to boost soil and plant health.

These advances aim to cut carbon footprints, protect biodiversity, and help crops adapt to changing climates. Universities and research institutes will be key to training the next generation of agri-biotech professionals.

Conclusion

Agricultural biotechnology sits at the heart of climate-resilient farming. By tackling drought, salinity, pests, and soil decline, it strengthens food security for billions. With strong market growth, focused research, and growing career opportunities, agri-biotech offers practical, science-based tools to build sustainable and resilient food systems.

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From
Sunita Murty
JRF chemistry
School of Basic & Applied Sciences