CRISPR and Gene Editing for Climate-Resilient Crops: Prospects for Sustainable Agriculture

Abstract

Global food security is under mounting threat from climate change, which is intensifying the frequency and severity of drought, heat stress, flooding, and soil salinity. Conventional plant breeding has historically driven agricultural productivity, yet the pace and precision required to develop crop varieties that can withstand rapidly shifting climatic conditions exceed what traditional methods can realistically deliver within relevant timescales. Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR) and associated Cas nuclease technologies have emerged as transformative tools in plant biotechnology, offering unprecedented precision, efficiency, and versatility for targeted genome editing. This review examines the scientific foundations of CRISPR-based gene editing, its application to the development of climate-resilient crops, and its broader implications for sustainable agriculture. Literature was identified through systematic searches of Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, and Google Scholar. The paper synthesises current evidence on editing drought-tolerance pathways, thermotolerance mechanisms, salinity resilience, pest and pathogen resistance, and nutritional enhancement. It further evaluates the regulatory landscape across major agricultural economies, addresses key biosafety and ethical concerns, and critically assesses socio-economic dimensions including intellectual property, equitable access, and smallholder farmer inclusion. The review identifies substantial promise in CRISPR-mediated crop improvement but underscores the need for inclusive governance frameworks, investment in public-sector research, and integration with agro-ecological practices to realise sustainable outcomes. Significant knowledge gaps and areas requiring further empirical investigation are also highlighted.