Historical transitions of seed breeding in China: From socialist cooperation to joint research

Seed marketization has unfolded in China for over two decades. Despite achievements in market value, institutional establishments and the variety right approval, China's breeding capacities have been undermined by increasing challenges in innovation and sustainability. To answer the question of whether state-sanctioned innovation programs could eventually strengthen the nation's breeding capacities, this paper reviews the historical transformations of seed breeding in China, drawing on extensive interviews and analysis of policy documents. It shows that the issues with seed breeding caused largely by marketization cannot be resolved by joint research between public and private breeders in the market environment. Various forms of collaboration based on the free exchanges of breeding knowledge and materials might be helpful pathways for China and developing countries in general in the improvement of breeding capacities and the protection of seed sovereignty.