Agriculture, biodiversity and appropriate biotechnologies in Brazil

ABSTRACT

The emergence of biotechnologies and new plant breeding programs occurs in a contex of the green revolution based system. These programs could be based on the rational use of biodiversity and directed to sustainable agriculture. In Third World countries the system shows signs of exhaustion. Brazil is the country with the world's largest genetic diversity of plants, comprising over 55,000 identified species of an estimated total ranging from 350,000 to 550,000. The use of such biodiversity brings about the discussion on the interests of northern hemisphere countris - rich in financial resources and technology yet poor in genetic resources - and Southern Hemisphere countris - poor in financial resources and rechnology but very rich in biological diversity. In these countries the so-called appropriate biotechnologies may become "windows of opportunities" for the characterization, conservation and use of such diversity. It is urgent, however, that these countries create conditions and capacities to characterize, conserve and use their resources in the short term.