What is the practice of biopharming primarily used for?

The practice of biopharming is primarily focused on the use of plants to produce pharmaceutical compounds. This innovative approach involves genetically modifying plants to express specific proteins or compounds that can serve as medications or therapeutic agents. By harnessing the natural processes of plants, biopharming aims to create cost-effective and scalable methods for producing drugs, vaccines, and other useful biological products.

This biotechnological technique utilizes plants' ability to produce complex molecules, which can sometimes be challenging to synthesize using traditional methods. As a result, biopharming has the potential to improve the availability of essential medicines, particularly in addressing diseases that may not have sufficient market incentives for conventional pharmaceutical development.

In contrast, other options such as producing food products, creating transgenic animals, or enhancing soil quality, while relevant in the broader field of biotechnology and agriculture, do not specifically align with the primary objective of biopharming, which is dedicated to pharmaceutical production.