Transformative Innovations for Resilience and Sustainable and Safe Growth | 69
FIGURE 5.2
Technology adoption and science, technology, and innovation capacities needed to use or develop different types of agricultural innovations
Nutrigenetics Clean meat, 3D printing
STI capacity
Pesticides
Biotechnology Genetic modification Reformulation Gene editing Blockchain Microbiomes E-commerce Precision agriculture, loT, Al Food safety tools Food waste Urban agriculture
Plant breeding—new varieties E-extension, weather, insurance New fertilizer formulas Fortification
Capacity to diffuse, share, and adopt knowledge and innovations Source: Original figure for this publication, based on review of countries’ innovation capabilities in agriculture. Note: Green, red, and blue colored text refer to production, food chain, and food consumption/nutrition-oriented innovations, respectively. The arrows indicate an illustrative range of STI and diffusion/adoption capacities required to undertake the respective technology or innovation. 3D = three-dimensional; AI = artificial intelligence; IoT = Internet of Things; STI = science, technology, and innovation.
innovations. Biotechnology and many nutrition and digital approaches require high STI capacity whereas fortification, fertilizers, and traditional plant breeding require relatively less STI capacity. The developing East Asian countries’ innovation capacity as measured by their STI ability to generate and adopt a wide range of innovations varies (chapter 6). Figure 5.3 is a subjective assessment of East Asian countries’ c apacity to generate and adopt transformative innovations, drawing on the evidence about traditional and transformative innovations in the region and the countries’ overall agricultural research and development and extension capacity. The overall frontrunners include the HICs of the region (Japan, Korea, and Singapore), closely followed by China, Malaysia, and Thailand. Although the countries have high STI capacity in many areas, some technologies and innovations are still beyond their reach (for example, lab-grown meat, nutrigenetics). All countries have capacity to generate simpler innovations such as fortification, fertilizers, and traditional plant breeding. Indonesia, the Philippines, and Vietnam also have the potential to catch up with China, Malaysia, and Thailand on, for example, STI in precision agriculture and urban farming. Although it may be more challenging for Cambodia, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, and Myanmar to catch up in STI capacity, they have the potential to continue generating and adopting traditional innovations and quickly catch up on adoption of less advanced and less costly e-services, urban agriculture, and precision agriculture.
