What is Biotechnology?

In simple terms, biotechnology is technology based on biology.

Biotechnology harnesses cellular and biomolecular processes to develop technologies and products that help improve our lives and the health of our planet. 

Approximately 6,000 years ago, humans began to harness the biological processes of microorganisms in order to make bread, alcoholic beverages, and cheese and to preserve dairy products. But such processes are not what is meant today by biotechnology, a term first widely applied to molecular and cellular technologies. 

Uses of Biotechnology

1. It helps to heal the world, by reducing rates of infectious diseases and by creating more precise tools for disease detection.

2. It helps to fuel the world, by reducing the use and dependence on petrochemicals and decreasing water usage and waste generation.

3. It helps to feed the world, by generating higher crop yields with fewer inputs, and by improving crops insect resistance.