June 4, 2014
Improving the World’s Oldest Crop Through IP
Maize has been cultivated by mankind for nearly 10,000 years and is thought to be the first domesticated crop ever grown. Since then, this essential staple has developed from the small teosinte plant to the robust maize crops we see across the world today.
Intellectual property has played a key role in developing new varieties of maize that have helped boost global production from just 205 million tons in 1960 to over 850 million today. In the future, intellectual property will be increasingly important as innovators strive to develop challenging new varieties that can withstand intense droughts and fight back against invasive pests in the face of climate change.
To learn more about 3 projects working on the challenges of the future that depend on IP, download the IP In Agriculture Innovation Series Infographic: Maize.