Public plant breeding in an era of privatisation

Both agricultural research and national seed systems are undergoing increasing privatisation. Although there are a number of possibilities for making public agricultural research more efficient and better able to interact with the private sector, the major opportunities are in plant breeding. This paper examines the possibilities and limitations associated with revenue generation through public plant breeding; the opportunities for moving the products of public plant breeding through the private sector; and the need for increased contacts with, and contributions from, private research.