Translated with DeepL
For thousands of years, people have grown crops such as wheat, maize and rice to feed themselves and their livestock. In addition, a large number of plants have served and continue to serve as raw materials for technical materials such as textile fibres, building materials, pharmaceuticals, industrial chemicals and energy sources. Once the easily accessible oil reserves are exhausted, the importance of plants as an industrial resource will increase. A renaissance of wood, flax, straw and other plant products as raw materials is therefore likely. The aim of research and development should be to optimise production processes and their feasibility, as well as the usefulness of the end products. There is a great need for research in the still young field of transgenic plants, which can supply specific high-quality substances on a case-by-case basis. Instead of oil refineries, biorefineries should be considered. It will be crucial to improve public awareness of these technologies and to consider the social consequences of their introduction, also with regard to global food security not only in the industrialised countries but also in the countries of the South.
Richard Braun
Béatrice Miller, Beatrice Huber
