ISAAA sets up global center on crop biotech

LOS BANOS, Laguna – A Global Knowledge Center on Crop Biotechnology (KC) is now fully operational.

Set up by the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA), the KC is a virtual science-based information network responding dynamically to the needs of developing countries on all aspects of crop biotechnology, particularly genetically modified (GM) crops.

"More specifically," said Dr. Mariechel Jamias-Navarro of the Los Baños-based ISAAA-Southeast Asia Center, "it seeks to help national programs facilitate the development of a policy environment conducive to the application of biotechnologies; and promote public understanding of scientific advances in crop biotechnology."

Dr. Navarro discussed "Knowledge Networking on Crop Biotechnology in the Developing World" at the "World Conference on Science and Technology" held recently at the Manila Hotel in Manila.

Organized by the Philippine Association for the Advancement of Science (PhilAAS), the three-day scientific meeting was attended by about 300 scientists from 15 countries.

The ISAAA-SEACenter managing editor said the KC was established in September 2000 following a study tour to Europe and North America in 1999 of six policymakers in Southeast Asia.

After the study tour, the policymakers concluded that the dearth of readily available and authoritative information about crop biotechnology, particularly GM crops, was the single most important constraints hindering decision-making regarding such crops in developing countries where biotechnology can potentially make the most impact on agriculture.

Thus, the group unanimously recommended that ISAAA establish the Global Knowledge Center on Crop Biotechnology.

ISAAA, organized in 1991, is a not-for-profit internationally entity co-sponsored by public and private sector institutions. It aims to facilitate the acquisition and transfer of agricultural biotechnology applications from the industrial nations, particularly proprietary technology from the private sector, to developing countries for their benefit.

Dr. Navarro said the KC now networks and shares information with and among the developing countries in Asia, South America, and Africa.

"Such activities include global knowledge networking, information needs analysis and strategy design, repository building, and information packaging," she said. "Basically, projects revolve around electronic networking through an Internet website, expert networking and continuous scanning of the agri-biotech environment."

Multi-media communication approaches are also developed for sharing among various stakeholders, she added.

According to her, issues related to the public understanding of science and technology are discussed. Strategies are forwarded to maximize knowledge sharing and buildup of crop biotechnology information among stakeholders in the developing country context.

Three operationally national and regional nodes have been established in Asia. These are the Philippine Biotechnology Information Center (BIC) hosted by the Los Baños-based, government-hosted SEAMEO Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA); the Thailand BIC based at Kasetsart University (KU) in Bangkok; and the Malaysia Agricultural Biotechnology Information Center (MABIC) hosted by a nongovernment organization, T-FANFARE, based in Kuching, Sarawak.

Additional national nodes are operated by network members in Asia, Africa, and South America.

The global network serves at least 20 strategically located national nodes in the three continents.

To date, agreements are in place for 14 nodes: China, India, the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Argentina, Brazil, Costa Rica (2), Egypt, Kenya, and South Africa.

The KC and BICs hold workshop/seminars on biotechnology for various audiences such as scientists, government agencies, nongovernment organizations, media, and secondary school students.

The KC also publishes and distributes for free materials such as institutional briefing materials, popularized semi-technical leaflets, and information backgrounders for various audiences.

Pocket K (Knowledge) leaflets on frequently asked questions (FAQ) and answers on GM crops, as well as issues on crop biotechnology, have been translated into nine languages, including Filipino.

A website CropBiotech Net (http://www.isaaa.org/kc) has also been set up. It won the Golden Web Award 2001-2000 given by the International Association of Web Masters and Designers.

"Those interested can become part of the email group service by going to the KC site and registering for free," Dr. Navarro said.