To re localise & re culturate plant breeding and genetics

Clavel Danièle (1, 2)

1 Cirad-BIOS - Département Systèmes Biologiques
2 UMR AGAP - Amélioration génétique et adaptation des plantes méditerranéennes et tropicales

To relocalise & re culturate plant breeding and genetics Relocalise plant genetic means to relocate studies in the fields. That implies formulate the research questions according to the local particularities: resources, knowledge, stories, culture and beliefs and promote skills created from other sources than those from instantaneous technological science. So we think that Plant genomics must be re localised and re cultured Why molecular genetics is a sensitive area for predation by private interest? High technology lead innovation (for agriculture as well as for health) has inherent characteristics that deals with the postmodernity conception (no sooner is a technology available than its successor is already in sight) not conceptual nor reflexive ( tools evolve faster than thinking) timely, past research is viewed as obsolete not involves empirical observations depreciated as being to broad too long or qualitative auto referring :limits inclusion of other research fields and disciplines An illustration is given by the action of powerful groups of donors influence African agricultural policies and seed regulation in Africa as Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Contrary to the Michael Polanyi conception that ‘Pure Science’ does not need to serve practical (economic, social, and political) interests and needs, neutrality of science can no longer be claimed.

Mots clés: Plant breeding; genetics; post-modernity; private interest; seeds Africa

Domaines: Sciences de l'environnement

Clavel Danièle. To re localise & re culturate plant breeding and genetics. “Freedom of research”, Prof. Fabrice Flipo, Université Paris 7 Diderot, Nov 2017, Paris, France. ⟨hal-03175247⟩