Plant breeding

Will suitable plant varieties still be available for our agriculture in the future? Do the “seed giants” pose a threat to our nutrition? Is there a need for greater involvement of the state in plant breeding? In consultation with representatives of various interest groups, the Federal Office for Agriculture has developed a plant breeding strategy and measures which are to be implemented under the Agricultural Policy after 2022 (AP22+) programme.

Plant breeding is regarded as a key discipline for addressing global challenges such as food security and the development of site-adapted, nutrient- and resource-efficient agricultural production. There have been major changes in the plant breeding environment as a result of the introduction of new technologies that increase the speed or effectiveness of the breeding process, as well as numerous corporate mergers. This raises questions about whether state action is required to ensure the availability of suitable seeds for Swiss agriculture. Accordingly, the federal authorities have developed a plant breeding strategy and defined key measures in an Action Plan.

The Plant Breeding Strategy 2050 recognises the importance of plant breeding for Switzerland in the coming decades and establishes foundations for the expenditure and allocation of public funds. Oriented towards sustainable multifunctional agriculture, it is designed to provide guidance for Switzerland’s plant breeding actors in defining their own strategies.

To support implementation of the Strategy in key action areas, an Action Plan has been prepared by various expert groups led by the FOAG. This includes, for example, a business plan for the development of a competence and innovation network, as well as a report on the further development of the portfolio of federally funded breeding programmes.