2024 in Review—an Age of Miracles in Agricultural Biotech
As 2024 fades into the rearview, it's a good time to reflect on the year that was—and what it might reveal about the road ahead. We live in an age of miracles. It can be hard to remember, especially amid the political rancor of a presidential election year, just how dark and uncertain things looked only four years ago. The worst pandemic in more than a century shut down societies around the world, paralyzing movement, tanking economies, and making every face-to-face interaction suspect. A new and lethal virus borne on the wind disrupted everything.
And then came the mRNA vaccines. We have written before of just how miraculous they are. But miraculous does not mean perfect. After decades in development, they proved highly effective at reducing severe disease and mortality, but they have been less effective at suppressing disease transmission. So, the pandemic continues to burn, albeit with a banked flame. But further miracles await, and one of those was augured this past August as researchers demonstrated a “mucosal immunity,” eliciting an immune response in the mucous membranes lining the respiratory tract (nose and throat), where most people’s infections begin. Combining this with research discovering ‘universal antibodies’ that protect against all COVID variants should make boosters obsolete (one way or another), break the transmission chain, and consign COVID to the list of conquered diseases. While many of these breakthroughs are still in the realm of hope, the future they promise is now within sight.
Beyond COVID research, the biomedical field has seen remarkable breakthroughs in 2024. In Boston, medics used gene editing to modify a pig’s kidney to reduce immune rejection risks and successfully transplanted it into a human recipient—a development with lifesaving potential, given that ~5,000 patients die annually waiting for donor matches. Meanwhile, researchers used gene therapy to repair the DNA of six children born with a genetic defect causing deafness, offering incredible hope for addressing more than 20,000 cataloged genetic diseases in humans. Another team identified a gene linked to Lupus, paving the way for potential cures to this notoriously challenging autoimmune disease. These advances underscore the considerable promise of genetic approaches in diagnosing and treating diseases.
On the agricultural biotech front, the shift toward agriculture rooted in improved seeds continues to deliver massive benefits, extending decades of progress. Since 1996, more than 17 million farming families in more than 32 countries have experienced life-changing improvements, collectively gaining over $260 billion in increased farm income. Alongside these economic gains, biotech crops have significantly reduced pesticide use and greenhouse gas emissions, offering substantial environmental advantages. Together, these factors are helping farmers achieve higher yields, producing greater harvests with fewer inputs.
While biotech improved seeds were initially adopted by farmers in industrial nations, smallholders in developing countries now dominate their use. For example, Kenyan farmers growing insect-resistant biotech cotton have quintupled their yields since 2020 while cutting production costs by 40 percent. Similar benefits are anticipated with the adoption of Bt maize, virus-resistant cassava, and late blight-resistant potatoes, pending resolution of legal obstacles posed by anti-biotech advocacy. Ghana has already approved Bt cowpea, and Burkina Faso has resumed planting improved Bt cotton. Field trials in Nigeria for nitrogen- and water-efficient, salt-tolerant rice promise 10–15 percent higher yields, 30 percent less nitrogen use, and 15 percent lower production costs—demonstrating how innovation can simultaneously enhance productivity and sustainability.
Biotech advancements continued around the globe, with virus-resistant cassava with added micronutrient benefits being developed for East and West Africa. In Bangladesh, farmers have embraced Bt eggplant, boosting enthusiasm for other biotech seeds. In the Philippines, researchers have developed ringspot virus-resistant papaya, while the government works to address misguided legal barriers to golden rice and insect-resistant eggplant. Elsewhere, Australian scientists have created a genetically engineered banana to combat a devastating fungal threat, and Thailand has joined the growing list of nations formally adopting biotech crops.
Despite the biological successes, challenges remain. AquaBounty Technologies recently announced it would cease operations, halting production of genetically engineered fast-growing salmon designed for closed-circuit systems that increase yields while protecting wild fish. While critics celebrated, experts saw this as a setback for sustainable aquaculture. However, the battles continue—most notably, with the United States prevailing in a GMO corn trade dispute with Mexico, overturning scientifically unfounded restrictions on U.S. exports.
Overall, developments in agricultural biotech have been overwhelmingly positive, addressing some of the most pressing challenges facing humanity. As adoption grows, even today’s optimistic projections may fall short of capturing the full potential of this transformative technology.”
The future promises even greater marvels. Plant pathologists are working on ways to sniff out plant diseases by detecting pathogenic DNA in air samples. And multiple teams are working to understand the molecular details of photosynthesis and re-work it to improve the efficiency of crop plants. Indeed, the pace of technological progress is so rapid and robust as to remind again that the principal barrier to a bright future lies in human made obstacles. These can be overcome, and the time to set them aside is now. Let us hope the new administration in Washington will make it so.
