We promote sustainable, healthy agrifood

What impact does agrifood have on society?

The strategic value of the Spanish agrifood sector for the national economy is undeniable given its impact on the GDP, as well as its capacity to promote territorial cohesion in light of the demographic challenge the country is facing. Spain is the eighth world power in agrifood.

The United Nations estimates the global population will reach nearly 10 billion by 2050, so we will have to boost food production and ensure the availability of food that is nutritious, healthy and sustainably grown. 

Having a sustainable, innovative agrifood system will be key to tackling this new growth model, due to both exponential population growth and the climate and environmental challenge of global heating or the scarcity of water for crops and drinking.

What does biotechnology do to mitigate this impact?

The biotechnology industry has great potential to transform the world through economic, social and environmental sustainability, as it contributes tools and solutions throughout the agrifood chain.

Thanks to biotechnology, we have crops resistant to disease and adverse weather conditions, which reduces the use of chemical phytosanitary products. Our industry’s innovative solutions help curb soil erosion, stop deforestation and preserve biodiversity.

It also ensures safe, healthy food through crop improvement, obtaining new protein sources and functional foods with greater nutritional value and detecting and identifying hazardous substances. Plus, it makes nutrition increasingly personalised. 

On the other hand, biotechnology helps improve animal health with new vaccines, veterinary biodrugs and molecular tools to diagnose many diseases much earlier. It has also helped improve animal nutrition, obtaining and validating functional ingredients.

How are AseBio and its members working to address this challenge?

At AseBio, 24 member organisations are developing roughly 115 products to promote sustainable agrifood. These solutions include new ingredients and additives, various microbiome modulators (probiotics, prebiotics, postbiotics), systems to improve food safety, bioproducts like biofertilisers and biostimulants, bioprocesses and veterinary drugs and feed ingredients.

• AseBio, through the Agrifood Committee, works to raise awareness of the scientific developments in this area and bring about the right conditions to ensure that all of society can benefit from them.