With the world population expected to reach about 9.8 billion by 2050, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) stated that agriculture productivity needs to increase by more than 70% compared to the current level. In this situation, genetically modified organisms (GMO), which add new traits by inserting genes from other organisms, and gene-edited organisms (GEO), where specific genes are regulated within the organisms themselves, are gaining attention as solutions.
On the 26th, Fan-Li Chou, vice president of the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA), noted in a written interview that "farmers are facing various issues, including extreme climate change, reduced yields, and increased pests and diseases," adding that "generally, it takes a long time to develop new varieties to address specific problems, but using technologies like GMO and GEO allows for the faster and more effective creation of improved varieties."
Chou currently serves as vice president for science policy at ASTA. Previously, she worked for eight years at the Foreign Agricultural Service under the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and from 2017 to 2020, she served as the advisor for agricultural biotechnology to the Minister. ASTA described her as "an outstanding leader with over a decade of experience in agricultural biotechnology regulation and trade issues." Chou holds a bachelor's degree in molecular and cell biology from Pennsylvania State University and a Ph.D. in biochemistry and molecular biology from the University of Pittsburgh.
Chou stated, "GMO has high expenses to comply with global regulations and is only used in a limited way for large-scale crops, but in some countries, as regulations on GEO are relaxed, small and medium enterprises and public researchers are actively utilizing it in plant breeding," noting that GEO is considered relatively less hazardous because it alters only the crop's own genes, unlike GMO, which inserts foreign genes.
Chile, in particular, is developing crops utilizing GEO technology to respond to climate change. For example, they are developing new crops such as drought-resistant corn, salt-tolerant citrus, and apples with high vitamin A content using the latest gene-editing technologies. GEO technology not only addresses local agricultural issues but also promotes the growth of new markets and industries. Gene editing primarily uses the CRISPR gene scissors, an enzyme complex that precisely cuts the desired parts of the DNA.
As the GEO market grows larger, movements are spreading to ease regulations on GEO in Chile, South America, the United States, Europe, and Japan. Chou noted, "While GEO seeds are not yet being used for commercial grain production in the U.S., agricultural biotechnology technology is steadily advancing," adding that "the U.S. government is also actively supporting this."
However, South Korea is an exception in this trend. South Korea continues to regulate GMO and GEO together without distinguishing between them. Except for Europe and New Zealand, which have decided to ease regulations on GEO, South Korea and South Africa are reportedly the only countries in the world regulating GEO as strictly as GMO.
Chou advised, "Countries that have eased regulations on GEO technology are achieving significant results in addressing agricultural problems as well as in the growth of their domestic industries," stating that "given that South Korea is in a leading position in GEO research, there is ample room to improve regulations by referencing the cases of other countries."
She stated, "If South Korea eases technology regulations, it could gain more economic opportunities in the global grain market," adding that "innovating agricultural technology would open up new markets and enhance international competitiveness."
Chou emphasized the need to actively provide scientific information to the public to alleviate concerns about GEO. She remarked, "ASTA is informing consumers about the positive impacts of GEO technology on health, food, and environmental issues through its website," and to address consumer concerns about GEO technology, a tailored communication strategy that reflects consumers' trusted values and concerns is necessary.