Ecosystems of Innovation: The Case of Biotechnology in Argentina

Latin America Program

Argentina Project

By Jerry Haar

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Summary

Biotechnology, widely believed to be “the next technological frontier,” is experiencing dynamic growth in Argentina. The nation’s R&D expenditures exceed $80 million, compatible with those of countries of intermediate economic development (many of which have a per capita GDP above that of Argentina). Argentina produces 14 percent of the world’s biotech crops, making it the third largest producer after the United States and Brazil. Its 200+ biotech firms earn well over $2 billion and cover sectors such as human health, animal health, food processing, and agriculture. Despite the economic and political volatility in Argentina in recent decades, biotech firms have suffered very few failures and have attracted interest from the leading investment groups in the country.

In a new report, Global Fellow Jerry Haar discusses the ecosystem of biotechnology in Argentina, its structure and dynamics, and offers policy recommendations for the country to continue its role as a regional leader in the field.

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About the Author

Jerry Haar

Global Fellow;
Professor of International Business and Executive Director for the Americas, College of Business, Florida International University

Latin America Program

The Wilson Center’s prestigious Latin America Program provides non-partisan expertise to a broad community of decision makers in the United States and Latin America on critical policy issues facing the Hemisphere. The Program provides insightful and actionable research for policymakers, private sector leaders, journalists, and public intellectuals in the United States and Latin America. To bridge the gap between scholarship and policy action, it fosters new inquiry, sponsors high-level public and private meetings among multiple stakeholders, and explores policy options to improve outcomes for citizens throughout the Americas. Drawing on the Wilson Center’s strength as the nation’s key non-partisan policy forum, the Program serves as a trusted source of analysis and a vital point of contact between the worlds of scholarship and action. Read more