In
This Issue:
CGIAR MEETING
ASSURES PARTNERSHIPS
"Agriculture
for Growth and Development" was the theme of the 2002 annual
general meeting (AGM) of the Consultative Group on International
Agricultural Research (CGIAR) held in Manila, Philippines last November
1, 2002. The CGIAR is an alliance of member countries, and international
agricultural research centers known as The Future Harvest Centers.
More than 500 participants from over 40 countries attended the meetings
hosted by the Philippine government.
"Increased
support to public goods, agricultural research, expanded public-private
partnerships, and opportunities to engage with and listen to farmers
are the major outcomes of the Manila AGM" said Ian Johnson,
CGIAR Chairman. "Agricultural development is essential for creating
responsible growth, reducing poverty, and protecting our environmental
commons."
Significant
outcomes of the Manila meeting include:
- Increased
commitment from Canada, USA, Netherlands, and Spain for generating
farming solutions that benefit poor farmers of the developing world,
particularly Africa
- Strengthened
partnerships with four new members - Israel, Malaysia, Morocco,
and Syngenta Foundation - joining the CGIAR alliance. Twenty-four
developing and 22 industrialized countries, four private foundations,
and others now constitute the strengthened CGIAR alliance.
- Valuable
consultations on innovative research-for-development "Challenge
Programs" focusing on water for food and bio-fortification
of crops for improved human nutrition and incomes.
- Successful
Interaction with stakeholders on important issues such as streamlining
governance, catalyzing innovation and promoting technical change
in agriculture, combating desertification, aligning research to
achieve objectives of international conventions on biodiversity
and desertification, and strengthening national agricultural research
capacities.
A major
highlight of the AGM was the Sir John Crawford Memorial Lecture,
delivered by Mohamed El-Ashry, Chairman and CEO, Global Environment
Facility. El-Ashry urged the CGIAR to focus its "strategic research
agenda for achieving sustainability and the goals of the Millennium
and Johannesburg Summit." He called for a renewed frontal attack
on problems of land and water management and mitigating the adverse
impacts of global climate change while paying increased attention
to the needs of smallholder farmers practicing agriculture in marginal
lands.
For more
details about the meeting visit http://www.cgiar.org/publications/pub_press.html#2001
Meanwhile,
the Action Group on Erosion, Technology and Concentration, a Canada-based
international civil society organization, noted that the CGIAR meeting "was
a time of soul-searching for members of the CGIAR's Committee of
Nongovernmental Organizations (NGO-C)". The CG System established
the NGO-C to get input from civil society. The NGO Committee's interim
co-chair, Patrick Mulvany of the Intermediate Technology Development
Group announced that the NGO Committee would freeze its participation
from CGIAR next year. Primary reason was the "CGIAR's failure
to act on the GM corn issue in Mexico. The freeze means that the
NGO-C will not replace vacant seats on the Committee nor participate
in CG programs.
More details
about this development is available at http://www.etcgroup.org
OREGON GM
FOOD LABEL BID FAILS
An overwhelming
73% of voters in Oregon, USA rejected a ballot initiative which would
have required the labeling of all foods and ingredients improved
through biotechnology regardless of federal labeling regulations
and proven safety. Food and Drug Administration guidelines do not
require biotech foods currently on the market to have special labeling
since they have been deemed safe. Further, the US Department of Agriculture's
recently implemented Organic Certification system could serve as
a choice for those who prefer organic food.
While
there were other measures on the table, the genetically engineered
food labeling requirement was said to be the hardest fought. The
proponents of the measure attributed their loss to the bigger campaign
fund used by those who opposed it. On the other hand, those who opposed
the measure said they won because as the consumers saw the facts,
the more the consumers did not like the measure.
Ballot
Measure 27 and its consequent voting result is precedent-setting
said Manly Molpus, President and CEO of the Grocery Manufacturers
of America. Molpus said "Oregonians faced a clear choice. They
were asked directly whether they would favor mandatory labeling of
all biotech foods, and they said no".
The measure's
chief petitioner, Donna Harris, said the election is merely the first
of many rounds in a nationwide push for a national labeling law.
Pat McCormick, a Portland public relations executive who ran the
campaign against labeling, said the Oregon results are more likely
to cool interest in the issue. He further said, "It's really
a pretty resounding rejection of the labeling approach".
Stories about
the vote are available on these site: http://www.gmabrands.com, http://www.checkbiotech.org, http://www.agbioworld.org.
INDIA DELAYS
GM MUSTARD DECISION
The Indian
government's Genetic Engineering Approval Committee has postponed
a decision on whether to give permission to Pro Agro Seed company
to grow genetically modified (GM) mustard. The committee, chaired
by A.M. Gokhale, and part of the Ministry of Environment and Forests,
says it needs more time to analyze the data.
The transgenic
mustard hybrids are MT 95002, MT 95003 and MT 95005, and contain
the Barnase, Barstar genes from Bacillus liquifaciens, and Bargene
from Streptomyces hygrospicus. While mustard is essentially a self-pollinating
crop, introduction of these genes has created a commercially viable
hybridization system. The 'barnase-barstar' technology, is a proprietary
of Bayer CropScience. The hybrids are based on 'Varuna' and 'Kranti',
mustards developed by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research.
Paresh
Verma of Pro Agro Seed, a subsidiary of Bayer AG, says that trial
results show its GM mustard yields 20% more seed and 24% more oil,
and confirmed its safety to the environment, and in food and feed.
The genes are not expressed in the seed or oil, according to its
data. The company has been testing the crop for seven years.
Email info@bayercropscience.com for
additional details.
MALAYSIA AIMS
TO BE BIOTECH HUB, SAYS MARDI
The Malaysian
Agricultural Research and Development Institute (MARDI) and the pharmaceutical
company Pharmaniaga have established "a partnership that helps
the country to become a new hub of a biotech industry in the near
future". MARDI director general Saharan Hj. Anang said the collaboration
is timely as the country has begun venturing into programs to establish
a biotech industry.
Anang
said that the Biodiagnosis and Biosafety Program at MARDI was established
this year to fulfill the need to produce and develop a locally made
diagnostic apparatus for agriculture and environment applications. "This
program will emphasize on the development of biosensor; immunodiagnostic
technology and DNA based diagnostics", Anang added.
On going
research at MARDI includes:
- The
development of an early detection technology using immunodiagnostic
approach for plant pathogens such as Ganoderma sp. In oil palm
and Fusarium sp. in banana
- Detection
of food contaminants in various food products such as antibiotics
in livestock products, and
- The
detection of GM food products which is the latest addition to this
program. A detection kit using PCR has been developed at MARDI
for this purpose for GM soybean.
Websites
of the two collaborating partners are http://www.mardi.my and http://www.pharmaniaga.com.my,
respectively.
THAILAND SHOULD
GO GM, SAYS DEPUTY PM
Thailand
should adopt genetic engineering to increase crop yields and lower
costs, says Deputy Prime Minister Korn Dabbaransi. However, he believes
that the risks and benefits need to be established, and noted disagreement
between the USA and Europe on the issue. "The EU and the US,
the two heavy-weights on biotechnology, are trying to conquer the
Asian market, which is home to half the world's population," Korn
told a CropLife seminar in Bangkok, Thailand. He argued that Asia
had to deal with biotechnology in order to meet international health
and environmental regulations in the context of world trade.
As Public
Health Minister back in 1998, Korn Dabbaransi backed the Traditional
Thai Medical Wisdom Protection Bill designed to protect the country's
herbal plants, their genetic resources and traditional medical knowledge.
The Thai
government has recognized the potential for biotech to enhance productivity
in the agrifood sector, a key part of Thailand's economy. It sees
biotechnology as an important sector of opportunity, and does not
want to lag behind other countries in the region. Attempts to attract
biotech investment have met with limit success so far.
The Thai
government funds about 80% of biotechnology R&D. Starting this
year Thailand is spending 60 million baht a year for five years on
six genome projects aimed at advancing the country's medical and
agricultural development. The projects are the result of a co-operation
between the Thailand Research Fund and the National Centre for Genetic
Engineering and Biotechnology (Biotec).
CHINESE ACADEMY
LICENCES SENESCO TECHNOLOGY
Senesco
Technologies, Inc. has signed a Letter of Mutual Intent with the
Tianjin Academy of Agricultural Sciences giving the Chinese academy
exclusive use of Senesco's technology in a variety of fruit and vegetable
crops in China. Senesco's technology designed to delay the onset
of senescence in freshly harvested produce.
Bruce
Galton, President and CEO of Senesco, says that "As the Chinese
agricultural industry evolves to feed a growing population, Senesco's
technology will enable the more efficient production of crops on
a national level."
The proposed
terms provide for a $35 million (subject to further negotiations)
technology transfer fee to be paid to Senesco upon the initial transfer
of the Company's technology. Subsequent payments would be made to
Senesco over a multi-year period in conjunction with training and
support provided by the Company as well as after the first harvest
of selected crop varieties. In addition, the Company may receive
royalties on future sales.
The Letter
is not binding and is subject to further negotiations of the final
terms of agreement. Due to the size and complexity of the proposed
transaction, it is anticipated that three to six months will be required
to complete the agreement.
Visit http://www.hridir.org/countries/china/PROVCOUN/tianjin_academy_of_agricultural_sciences/
Science or http://www.senesco.com for
more information about these organizations.
PAKISTAN AND
USA MAKE DEAL FOR AGBIOTECH
Pakistan
and the USA are to cooperate in plant genomics and biotechnology
as part of a joint operating arrangement (JOA) worth $10M. The agreement
will involve a natural sciences linkage programme.
Other
areas included are plant germplasm, stress biology, bioinformatics,
application of information technology in agriculture, identification
and control of animal and plant diseases, dryland/sustainable agriculture
production systems, biotechnology/microbiology and agribusiness development.
The JOA
was signed by the US ambassador to Pakistan, Nancy J. Powell, and
Shahzad Hassan Pervez, secretary for the Ministry of Science and
Technology.
Email info@most.gov.pk for
additional details on the collaborative activity.
CASSAVA PARTNERSHIP
FORMED
The UN
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) announced last November 5,
2002 that 30 of the world's leading experts in cassava research have
established the Global Partnership for Cassava Genetic Improvement.
FAO Assistant Director-General Louise Fresco said "this new
partnership is a very positive development, reflecting the urgent
need to support the genetic improvement of cassava to help millions
of the world's hungriest people".
According
to FAO, cassava is the third most important source of calories in
the tropics, after rice and corn. Further, more than 600 million
people depend on the cassava in Africa, Asia and Latin America.
Despite
cassava's importance, investment in research to improve it has lagged
behind other basic food crops resulting in only minor increases in
its productivity in the last 30 years. Cassava has had less than
a 1% increase in productivity compared with 2-5% in rice, wheat and
corn.
FAO says
that new tools such as advanced molecular biology and biotechnology
have the potential to make cassava much more productive, nutritious,
and profitable to grow. Conventional breeding has had limited success
in addressing the constraints facing cassava productivity because
of the crop's complex genetic make-up.
"For
the first time, the potential exists to efficiently identify beneficial
traits in wild and domesticated cassava plants and then transfer
these traits to farmer-preferred cassava varieties, in a predictable
and timely manner. If successful, these improvements in cassava will
change hundreds of millions of lives", said Dr. Claude Fauquet
of the Danforth Center.
The full
story is at http://www.fao.org/english/newsroom/news/2002/10541-en.html
ROCKEFELLER FOUNDATION
TO PROMOTE IP POLICIES FAIRER TO POOR
The Rockefeller
Foundation has begun a multi-year initiative to support the emergence
of fairer, development- oriented IP policies. The initiative was
launched out of a recognition that emerging international intellectual
property policies do not adequately reflect or respond to the concerns
of poor people and developing countries.
Gordon
Conway, president of the Rockefeller Foundation said "technologies,
such as new drugs and improved seed varieties, are crucial to combating
disease, alleviating hunger and reducing poverty. But the poor can
only benefit from these technologies if they are affordable. This
depends on removing the restrictions imposed by current Intellectual
Property policies".
To complement
its grant making efforts, the Rockefeller Foundation is also launching
a three-year series of consultations and workshops, the Bellagio
Series on Development and Intellectual Property Policy. The series
will provide a venue for developing country policymakers, scientists,
and civil society groups to share and critically examine neglected
development-oriented IP policy options, develop political strategies,
and review broader approaches to promoting development and innovation.
Its first installment is currently being held over several contiguous
weeks from October 30 to November 30, 2002 in Northern Italy.
For more
details, visit its website at http://www.rockfound.org/display.asp?context=1&Collection
=1&DocID=547&Preview=0&ARCurrent=1
THE
PRECAUTIONARY PRINCIPLE: "RISK-RISK
ANALYSIS"
Indur
Goklany, a manager with the US Department of the Interior's Office
of Policy Analysis, wrote a commentary on the precautionary principle
that was featured in Nature Biotechnology Magazine, Volume 20, Number
11. He starts by saying that both proponents and opponents of the
precautionary principle have often argued that it is a substitute
for risk analysis. Goklany however contends that, "to take the
precautionary principle seriously means we must, in fact, employ
not just risk analysis, but risk-risk analysis".
He interprets
the precautionary principle to mean that an outcome of an action
should not cause environmental and public health risk to increase.
Further, if the precautionary principle is used to choose between
different technological or policy options, its application should
favor the one that reduces overall risks the most. The objective
is easily achievable if the action would clearly reduce or increase
risk. However, most policy options reduce environmental and public
health risk while increasing or prolonging others. In such an ambiguous
situation, to ensure that a policy is truly precautionary, one should
compare the risks of adopting the policy against the risk of not
adopting it which forces the researcher into a risk-risk analysis.
In cases
where the outcome of using or rejecting a policy action is uncertain,
Goklany proposes a framework for analysis. His criteria are based
on the nature, severity, magnitude, certainty, immediacy, irreversibility
and other characteristics of the risk.
Applying
his framework on a global ban on GM crops, Goklany argues that, "a
GM crop ban would retard reductions in global hunger, malnutrition,
and diseases of affluence". On the other hand, the health effects
of ingesting GM crops, if any, are not only much more uncertain,
they are not now-and unlikely to be in the future-comparable in magnitude
to the global toll from hunger and malnutrition.
Thus,
Goklany concludes that a global ban on GM crops would increase net
risk to global public health and the global environment. Therefore,
any version of the precautionary principle should actually require
the use of GM crops, provided due caution is exercised before commercialization
of individual GM crops.
Goklany's
commentary can also be downloaded at http://www.nature.com/cgi-taf/DynaPage.taf?
file=/nbt/journal/v20/n11/full/nbt1102-1075.html
FAO MEETING
CALLS FOR CODE ON BIOTECH TRANSFER
Member countries asked the Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and
Agriculture (CGRFA) to examine the impact of biotechnology on health and the
environment in order to create a Code of Conduct for Biotechnology and to ensure
the benefits of these technologies reach farmers in both developing and developed
countries at its recent meeting.
Genetic
resources and intellectual property rights were top of the agenda
during the meeting at the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
headquarters in Rome where experts also discussed GMOs and their
impact on business, human health and the environment.
The ninth
session of the Commission, held in mid-October, tackled issues such
as biodiversity, biotechnology and ethics and agreed on the importance
of developing Codes of Conduct on biotechnology and the transfer
of plant genetic material.
The Commission
was warned that inappropriate granting of intellectual property rights
could jeopardize public confidence in an international network of
plant collections containing more than half a million samples.
The Commission
threw its weight behind the Global Conservation Trust, an international
initiative launched during the Johannesburg Summit on Sustainable
Development to maintain the world's plant collections, a task estimated
at around $260 M.
The Commission
also discussed a rapid alert and information system for emergencies
linked to plant genetic resources, an information network to promote
the interchange of technology and resources and the publication of
the second report on The State of the World's Plant Resources.
The International
Treaty for Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture's Interim
Committee also held its first meeting recently in Rome. The meeting,
which centred on the development of agreements governing the transfer
of genetic material, represented the first step towards the treaty
coming into effect.
The treaty's
aim is to guarantee the future availability of the diversity of plant
genetic resources and promote the fair and equitable sharing of all
benefits. The agreement, approved in November 2001, will become legally
binding when it has been ratified by at least 40 countries. To date,
65 countries have signed the accord and it has been ratified, accepted
or approved by eight.
Visit http://www.fao.org/biotech/index.asp for
more information.
ISAAA RELEASES
NEW POCKET K
The International
Service for the Acquisition of Agribiotech Applications' (ISAAA)
Global Knowledge Center on Crop Biotechnology has just released its
9th Pocket K series on Intellectual Property Rights and Agricultural
Biotechnology.
Pocket
Ks are Pockets of Knowledge, packaged information on crop biotechnology
products and related issues. They are written in an easy to understand
style and packaged in a format that is easily shared and distributed.
Pocket
K No. 9 defines intellectual property, explains the importance of
IPRs in developing countries, and discusses the transfer of agri-biotech
to developing countries.
Download
a copy of this publication and back issues at http://www.isaaa.org/kc/Services.htm
ANNOUNCEMENT:
BIOSAFETY CD-ROM
The second
edition of the Agbios Essential Biosafety CD-ROM has been released.
The Essential Biosafety provides factual safety and regulatory information
on approved GM commodities; risk assessment training and policy analyses
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a comprehensive compilation of citations relevant to environmental
and human food safety. More information is available at http://www.essentialbiosafety.info.
To request
your FREE copy of Essential Biosafety, complete the online form available
at http://www.essentialbiosafety.info or
email info@agbios.com. |
