APEC held a High-Level Policy Dialogue on Agricultural Biotechnology in Dalian, People’s Republic of China, in August 2026.
Participants gathered to discuss new innovations and to strengthen safety principles surrounding genome technologies across the Asia-Pacific region.
Member countries demonstrated how precision breeding is producing tangible results, with adoption spreading across different fruits, vegetables, and meat products.
The dialogue highlighted that 75 percent of soybeans planted globally already come from genome modified varieties, giving farmers higher yields from stronger, more bacteria resistant crops.
As extreme heat, flooding, and trade disruptions strain global food supply, APEC economies are advancing agricultural biotechnologies including genome editing to sustain food security.
Agricultural biotechnologies have existed for decades, valued for their ability to strengthen crops and livestock against shifting weather patterns and emerging diseases.
These technologies are increasingly being shaped to meet the region’s changing dietary needs, helping food systems keep pace with rapidly growing populations across Asia and beyond.
Research from China Agricultural University demonstrated how genome editing could improve drought tolerance, increase productivity with less fertilizer input, and strengthen the nutritional value of crops.
The International Rice Research Institute highlighted rice modified with lower glycaemic and higher protein levels, allowing for slower sugar release into bloodstreams after consumption, which is crucial for large populations across Asia with diabetes.
Experts at the dialogue also reported on how new genome technology can be used to breed fish such as carps and salmon to have fewer fine bones, encouraging easier consumption.
This development allows for faster industrial processing and is relevant to approximately 70 percent of freshwater aquacultural products currently produced across the region.
Creating better public perception of genome modified food was identified as a vital challenge, as many consumers still view such products as unsafe or unhealthy.
Delegates stressed that closing this gap starts with regulation that is science-based and assessed case-by-case, adapting to new technologies as they emerge over time.