b'GIANT VIEWSBY JEAN-CHRISTOPHE GOUACHEWE NEED TO TALK ABOUT WHAT WE WILL NOT DO!world of citizens direct expression, socialIn that regard, we need to reaffirm media and suspicion about science andlouder than ever before that the seed technology, telling what we will do is nosector supports that, when writing a longer enough. We will also need to tellpatent on a product obtained by genome what we will NOT do. editing, no patent claim should extend Genome editing to any similar product obtained with a The great potential of genome edit- native gene .ing technologies towards solving theIn todays world, on potentially many challenges that agriculture ishighly controversial domains, building facing is well documented. However, fortrust and confidence will require us to most European citizens, and politicians,tell what we will do and what we will the precautionary principle shall prevail. NOT do.Whether right or wrong, citizensWhat else?(and politicians) will want to know inIn June 2018 during my opening advance what innovations we intendspeech of the World Seed Congress to bring and their impact on Europeanin Brisbane, I said: In previous dec-Jean-Christophe Gouache agriculture. Trust and confidence in newades, it was enough to use the Power of technologies could be earned back onlyGenetics , and we could say job don A t the beginning of the 80s we werethrough a new dialogue, including tellingas we handed over seeds to farmers. Now the direct heirs to Norman Borlaugwhat we will NOT do. we have to go beyond this. Increasingly and the green revolution, and wereJust one easy example: In the shortwe need to analyze and anticipate the expected to continue to deliver geneticterm, who would believe that anybodyimpacts of our products, to ensure that progress to farmers. European citizenscould bring to market a new herbicidefarming systems are more resilient and also enjoyed all the benefits of the pro- tolerant crop, obtained by genome edit- sustainable . Seed innovations are not gress in agriculture. We were part ofing? And who would believe that doing soneutral on agricultural production sys-the solution and we could imagine andwould help acceptance of genome editingtems. They do not only solve one by one, explain the fantastic promises that bio- technologies? Nobody! Wouldnt we bethe many challenges that farmers face. technologies were going to bring. better off tell it ourselves? They come as one factor in complex sys-Then came the 2000s and the com- Intellectual property tems. And we cannot anymore hand over plex relations that Europe had withProtecting innovations in plant biol- seeds to our customer and say, job done.biotechnologies. Whatever the reasons,ogy is vital for the seed sector and weMore than ever before we will need Europe turned its back on biotechnolo- need two complementary legal instru- to analyze, evaluate, describe what our gies and little by little seeds, breedingments: Plant Breeders Rights and Patents.innovations will do and bring within the and agriculture became the target ofHowever, there is suspicion on the use ofglobal farming systems. We are not used different NGOs and activist groups. WeIntellectual Property (IP) rights. Withto this new systemic approach and our became part of the problem. genome editing allowing to make similarteams have not been trained, nor been And here we are, entering the 2020s:changes as the ones done by spontane- exposed to such an approach.we have lost the trust and confidenceous mutations, will IP rights be used toThis is the main challenge for the from our fellow European citizens. capture (or privatize) native genesdecades to come: only a systemic approach So, whats next? and biodiversity? Recently we have heardwill allow us to define what we will doAfter 40 years within the seed sector,many times opponents to plant breedingand what we will NOT do. And this may I would like to share my passionate con- innovation and to IP rights bringing upallow us to regain the trust and confidence viction that genetic progress and plantthis new fear. Here too, citizens and pol- from our fellow European citizens.breeding have a major role to play. Butiticians want to know not only what we how to play that role? will do, but also what we will NOT do.EditorsNote:Jean-Christophe Earning back the lost trust and con- They want reassurance that nobody willGouacheisCorporateVPfor fidence will not only take time but willcapture native genes and crop biodi- International Affairs and CSR at require a change of approach: in todaysversity. Limagrain, and Past-President at ISF.72IEUROPEAN SEEDIEUROPEAN-SEED.COM'