In
This Issue:
SEA TO
FIELD TEST GM PAPAYA IN 2002
Papaya production used to be a lucrative business in Southeast
Asia before crops were devastated by papaya ringspot virus (PRSV)
and aggravated by postharvest
problems. Now there is good news for small farmers in Southeast Asia as several
countries are working at developing local papaya cultivars that solve these
constraints. Malaysia is expected to test its delayed ripening papaya while
Thailand will test its papaya ringspot virus (PRSV) resistant crop in field
trials next year.
To address the problems of papaya, the Papaya Biotechnology Network of SEA
Asia was formally launched in March 1998 with the primary objective of enhancing
income generation, food production, nutrition, and productivity for resource-poor
farmers by integrating proven biotechnology applications into their agricultural
practices. In the near term, the network seeks to positively impact the lives
of farmers in Southeast Asia by increasing the availability of papaya for both
food and modest incomes.
The network is composed of experts from Indonesia, Malaysia,
Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam. The International Service
for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech
Applications (ISAAA) developed and facilitated the project with support from
the public and private sectors.
Monsanto and scientists of the University of Hawaii are
collaborating with the network to develop PRSV resistant
papaya while the former Zeneca Plant
Science, now part of Syngenta, and the University of Nottingham are sharing
their technology and know how on delayed ripening in papaya.
Randy Hautea, ISAAA Global Coordinator and SEAsia Director, says that through
the network, SEA researchers are now working at developing local papaya cultivars
that are resistant to PRSV and have delayed ripening traits. In a few years
time, they hope to produce local papaya varieties suited for each country and
make them available for small-scale farmers.
The network members are collectively addressing the critical
aspects of product development, effective biosafety and
food safety regulations, product dissemination,
and product acceptance by growers, consumers and the general public.
ISAAA recently organized a workshop in Vietnam among the network researchers.
Technical presentations on papaya breeding and agronomy were done at My Tho,
Vietnam by papaya experts Nguyen Minh Chau of Vietnam, Violeta Villegas of
the Philippines, Chan Ying Kwok and Raveendranathan of Malaysia, and Robert
Paull of USA. Participants then moved on over to Hanoi, Vietnam to present
country reports and plan future activities. They also visited papaya fields
in neighboring districts.
IP/TT MANAGEMENT
NETWORK OF SOUTHEAST ASIA SET UP
The Intellectual Property/Technology Transfer (IP/TT) Management Network of
Southeast Asia was formed last October 26, 2001 in Hanoi, Vietnam by researchers
and research administrators from Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand
and Vietnam. The core members of the network are those involved in ISAAA-facilitated
technology transfer projects in Southeast Asia who had undertaken training
under the ISAAA IP/TT Initiative in collaboration with Cornell University.
A recent external review of the ISAAA IP/TT initiative made a major recommendation
that "ISAAA should respond to the request of partner countries to shift the
focus of its IP activities to Southeast Asia" where the need is greatest. Consistent
with the new institutional strategy of ISAAA, "this will place the IP center
of activity in the developing countries of Asia", and help "develop their own
capacity to deal with matters pertaining to intellectual property and technology
transfer for use in agricultural production".
The Network aims to contribute pro-actively in the development of IP/TT Management
in the SEAsian region, and eventually to other countries in Asia, Africa and
Latin America in an initiative aimed at South-South sharing of appropriate
knowledge and experience on IP/TT management.
The Network identified several projects to undertake in order to address the
IP/TT management challenges and constraints identified by the different
countries.
The Network has designated Dr. Tanit Changthavorn of BIOTEC-Thailand as first
Network Coordinator while the following will serve as Country Coordinators:
Dr. Tantono Subagyo - Indonesia, Dr. Peng Fatt Lam - Malaysia, Dr. Reynaldo
V. Ebora - Philippines, Ms. Nutina Netsuwan - Thailand and Ms. Le Thi Thu Hien
- Vietnam. Dr. Sutat Sriwatanapongse, Ms. Darunee Edwards (BIOTEC-Thailand)
and Dr. Randy Hautea (ISAAA) will serve as Network Advisers.
Network membership is open to all researchers, research administrators, technology
managers and individuals or institutions in Southeast Asia involved in IP management
and technology transfer activities. Information and news about the Network
will be regularly posted in the Knowledge Center Newsletter published by ISAAA
as well as its website (http://www.isaaa.org).
For more information on the IP/TT Network of Southeast Asia, please contact
Dr. Tanit Changthavorn (tanit@biotec.or.th) Dr. Reynaldo V. Ebora (r.ebora@isaaa.org)
or Dr. Randy Hautea (r.hautea@isaaa.org).
NEW ZEALAND
LIFTS BAN ON GM FIELD TRIALS
The New Zealand government lifted an 18-month ban on field trials for GM crops,
but imposed tough new rules on any new trials and banned the release of GM
products for the next two years. Prime Minister Helen Clark said science and
research "must continue with strict controls in place to protect the health
of New Zealanders and our environment."
Among the new rules will be requirements that:
* All materials associated with a field trial will be "removed from the site,
either by destruction or otherwise"
* Any "reproductive structure above the ground" must be immediately removed
as soon as it produces seeds
* Any seeds below the ground must be either destroyed on site or removed securely
contained for destruction
* The Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act will be strengthened to provide
for inspection and monitoring regimes for all GE trials
The 2-year control period will allow the government to carry out extra work
on socio-economic, ethical, environmental, and agricultural research issues
relating to genetic modification, pass the new laws controlling field trials
and set up a new Bioethics Council to review research proposals.
KENYAN SCIENTISTS
DEVELOP GM CORN AND POTATO
Scientists at the Kenya Agriculture and Research Institute (KARI) have developed
new varieties of GM potato and corn, which will give higher yield and are disease-resistant.
Agriculture Minister Bonaya Godana said the potato and corn were undergoing
field trials and biosafety measures at various KARI stations. The two crops
are among the major staple foods widely consumed in Kenya. Dr. Godana said "They,
therefore, hold significant potentials in increasing food security, alleviating
poverty and improving the socio-economic welfare of resource-poor farmers in
the country."
He added: "The initiative is a collaborative partnership between the government,
donors, private technology companies and international agricultural agencies."
FAO APPROVES
LANDMARK PACT TO SAVE CROP VARIETY
The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has approved a framework
for protecting the variety of the world's crops. The so-called International
Convention on Plant Genetic Resources was originally agreed by member states
of the FAO at a meeting in Rome in July.
The convention, which aims to ensure that plant genetic resources can be preserved
and made available for research and plant breeding, will come into force after
it is ratified by at least 40 countries. " This new legally binding international
agreement...provides a framework to ensure access to plant genetic resources,
and to related knowledge, technologies, and internationally agreed funding," FAO
said in a statement during its biennial conference.
After years of debate between poor countries and multinational corporation
and wealthier nations, the US agreed for the first time in July to mandatory
payments by plant breeders developing new crop varieties in return for access
to public seed banks. The seed banks lend out crop seeds allowing research
into new varieties of plants with improved traits.
"The approval by the FAO conference of this International Convention on Plant
Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture is a milestone in international cooperation," FAO
Directory General Jacques Diouf said.
CHINESE QUARANTINE
ON GRAINS EASES
Traders were cited as telling Reuters that China has eased quarantine inspections
for South American soybeans, triggering hopes that US cargoes this season would
face no major hurdles. The first cargo of U.S. soybeans from this season's
crop arrived at the northern Chinese port of Yantai over the weekend and inspection
of the cargo was expected to take up to a month, a quarantine official said.
Now, however, traders do not expect quarantine authorities to hold back the
US soy for more than several days, especially as it was booked before June
6, the cut-off day for China's new rules on GM crops.
Neither the buyer nor the supplier of the Yantai cargo had been informed of
any problems or told it would be treated differently than earlier South American
cargoes.
PHILIPPINES SET
TO ISSUE RULES ON GM CROP THIS YEAR
The Philippine government expects to issue before the end of the year a set
of administrative guidelines governing the commercialization, import, use and
distribution of crops and seeds containing GMOs.
Dow Jones Newswires cites Agriculture Secretary Leonardo Montemayor as saying
the department has completed a consultation process on the draft guidelines.
Consultations included non-governmental organizations, farmers, academics and
representatives of various government agencies.
UGANDA TO
START FIELD TRIALS FOR BT COTTON
An official at the Uganda National Council of Science and Technology (UNCST)
was cited as telling Dow Jones Newswires that Monsanto Co. has allowed the
state-run National Research Organization to start tests on Bt cotton. The tests
would be done in collaboration with the UNCST and the National Biosafety Committee.
UN POPULATION
FUND RELEASES STATE OF WORLD POPULATION 2001 REPORT
According to the United Nations Population Fund, human activity is altering
the planet on an unprecedented scale. More people are using more resources
with more intensity and leaving a bigger 'footprint' on the earth than ever
before.
World population has doubled since 1960 to 6.1 billion, with growth mostly
in poorer countries and this number is expected to increase by 50% to 9.3 billion
by 2050. All of the projected growth will take place in today's developing
countries. Already 2 billion people lack food security, and water supplies
and agricultural lands are under increasing pressure. Water use has risen six-fold
over the past 70 years.
The report examines the close links between population trends and environmental
conditions and reviews prospects for alleviating poverty in developing countries.
For the full report, please visit http://www.unfpa.org |
