© shaiith/Adobe Stock Commissioned by the Office of Technology Assessment at the German Bundestag (TAB), HFFA Research authored two expert reports in 2016 examining the structure, dynamics, and research landscape of plant breeding in Germany and internationally.
Plant breeding faces evolving pressures from climate change, shifting consumer expectations, regulatory frameworks, and the rise of new technologies. To support informed policymaking, the TAB initiated an interdisciplinary project to assess future challenges and opportunities for both conventional and organic plant breeding systems.
HFFA Research contributed two in-depth studies:
Structural Analysis: This report explored the evolving organization of the plant breeding sector, highlighting key stakeholders, market dynamics, and the internationalization of breeding activities.
Research Landscape Review: The second report assessed current public and private research efforts, with a focus on crop type specialization, varietal development, and institutional roles in breeding innovation.
Both reports analyzed German conditions while integrating comparative perspectives from the EU and global plant breeding sectors.
Structural changes in the breeding sector are driven by technological advancements, regulatory environments, and globalization of agricultural input markets.
The balance between public and private breeding activities varies significantly by crop type and intended use (e.g., food vs. bioenergy).
International concentration and consolidation in the private breeding industry are reshaping global innovation flows.
Public-sector research continues to play a vital role, particularly in underrepresented crops and pre-competitive breeding domains.
The findings will be published as part of a comprehensive monograph by TAB addressing long-term challenges and strategic directions for plant breeding in Germany and beyond.