IFPRI Discussion Paper No. 1064, February Guillaume Gruere, Clare Narrod and Linda Abbot (2011)

The paper provides an overview of key technologies that can have a large impact on the poor through increased agricultural productivity, improved food and water safety and nutrition.

Previous research has stated that about three-quarters of the poor in developing countries live in rural areas and most depend on agriculture for their livelihood. As such, agriculture is viewed as a key area for poverty reduction. Prior research has also identified effective ways to increase food security and reduce poverty, by increasing the competitiveness of producers and improving market access. Thus, increasing production and enabling farmers to have access to markets can alleviate poverty by allowing the rural poor to augment their income and access to food and other services. However the literature has also shown that science and technology play a significant role in addressing poverty. New technologies can result in increasing productivity of fields, improving quality of food and water and providing high returns to investments. For instance, advances in the field of nanotechnology can improve the livelihood of the poor. Nanotechnology has been defined as the measurement and manipulation of matter at the atomic, molecular and supramolecular levels. The advantages of nanotech applications have been reported in food products, from improved food quality and safety to efficient usage of agricultural inputs and improved nutrition. However, while the application of revolutionary technology in industries has enormous benefits, it also carries potential risks; since nanoscience is still at an early phase, it is difficult to assess the future importance of such nanotech applications. The paper seeks to analyze the potential opportunities and challenges of using nanotechnology in food and agriculture in developing countries. The authors use secondary data from literature on agriculture and food nanotechnology to review the current applications in developing countries.

The authors state that current applications of nanotechnology are in food production in the forms of nanosensors and nanoagricultural chemicals. For instance, Nanosensors are able to detect very minute amounts of chemical contaminants, viruses and bacteria in food and water and they have the potential to allow farmers to utilize their inputs more efficiently by enabling them to apply nutrients, water or insecticide, fungicide, etc. only when necessary. With regard to developing countries, such nanotechnology applications can rectify the low efficiency of inputs, climatic shocks like droughts and high soil temperature.

Similarly, more efficient nutrient delivery can result in increased crop yields.
Other applications include Nanoherbicides, which are “nanoscale pesticides”, to reduce weeds from crops. Less herbicide is required in this case and therefore the effectiveness of herbicides is increased, leading to a greater crop yields. The use of Nanofertilizers can increase the uptake of nutrients – in the future, it is expected that the release of the fertilizer can be triggered by a specified environmental condition. As such, the controlled release of fertilizers can increase the efficacy of nutrient uptakes by crops.

The use of nanotechnology in improving water quality also has important implications. Several nanotechnology applications can help improve drinking water in a couple of ways.  Firstly, through the process of filtration, research has revealed that carbon nanotube filters can be used to remove impurities from drinking water. Secondly, a simple magnet can be used to remove nanocrystals and arsenic contaminants from water through a process called the “point-of-use water filtration process”.

The authors then reveal the key challenges that nanotechnology might face in developing countries. Firstly, in terms of research and development, developing countries might face a dearth of support for the technology. Finding support and commitment for such long-term investment is expensive and risky and the authors point out that change in governments and donor priorities might be conflicting.

These factors might lead the countries to abandon nanotechnology options or import existing technologies from other countries. The authors point out that large emerging economies like Brazil, India and China have invested in nanotechnology and that smaller developing countries might be able to follow them as well. Secondly, the question the authors ask is even if the technology is adapted, can it be produced and sold at an affordable price. The affordability and access of the technology will determine whether they will be used by the poor. Lack of knowledge about the product, limited market access to the targeted users and credit constraints could also be factors that determine the usage. Thirdly, there might be market risks in the form of nanotech having significant negative economic effects on the farmers via increased productivity and hence depressed prices of the crops. Also the development of nanotextile applications such as synthetic fibers and synthetic rubberlike materials could have on effect on the cotton market and rubber market respectively – this could have tremendous implications in a number of developing countries where millions of families depend on cotton and rubber production.

The author concludes the paper by asserting that research has to be focused on developing countries’ needs and particularly the poor. Most of the current research has been focused on developed countries. The success of nanotechnology in alleviating poverty will depend upon whether the public research institutions, developers, governments and donors are able to address the issues over the years.