Profile 10 Seed Safety
Rationale:
A number of biotechnology applications and approaches are being employed to enhance agricultural production in African countries. For example, biotechnology-based tools are used for mass propagation of disease-free plantlets. Other promising biotechnological methods are used to enhance the efficiency of traditional breeding, such as marker-assisted selection, which allows faster and more targeted development of improved genotypes.
The development and deployment of modern biotechnologies also includes genetically modified organisms (GMOs) obtained through genetic engineering. While national capacities in practical crop improvement can be strengthened in African countries through effective and efficient integration of biotechnology into the conventional breeding work, it is important to stress that in order to safeguard against possible contamination of non-target germplasm, biotechnology seeds need to be safely handled, should be released for use in a systematically prescribed manner, recognising the environmental concerns and used in accordance with safeguards prescribed within the appropriate regulatory frameworks.
Recent and emerging biotechnology applications as well as future application tools and approaches emerging from biotechnology research are likely to have great potential to assist African countries to enhance agricultural production, through enhancing crop improvement and also for providing assistance to small scale resource-poor farmers. A successful and effective adaptation of modern biotechnology for national agriculture development requires an integrated approach to capacity development and enabling environment for research, management of property rights, adoption by local farmers and management of pre and post release bio safety issues. Developing a more effective regulatory capacity within the country will give the government policy-makers as well as the general public greater confidence in the country's ability to effectively deal with the ever increasing number of biotechnology related safety issues with which they are confronted. It should be complement ongoing activities for pursuing biotechnology-bio safety research at Research Institutes and Universities and on management of intellectual property rights through dedicated organisations in the field. . The potential of this technology for Africa has not been effectively realised due to lack of facilities and expertise. Also, there are many doubts (many of them unfounded), regarding the safety of biotechnology products. In view of the huge potential of biotechnology to positively impact on African food security through the deployment of bio technology seeds and planting materials, it is necessary to build a critical mass in facilities and knowledgeable manpower, develop well defined and appropriate methodologies and introduce necessary arrangements for the safe handling and release of biotechnology seeds, planting materials and varieties. . .
Objective:
The objective of the project is to assist in the safe handling and release of seeds and planting materials through capacity building to contribute to the regional and national priorities on use of biotechnology for seed production and use.
Activities:
The project will run for 5 to 7years and will operate at both regional and national levels. At the regional level, activities will cover mainly training and practical attachments at laboratories and experimental stations operated by partner agencies or established for the purpose Practical training exercise will be drawn from variety development, seed multiplication and seed quality control agencies. Following one year of operation of the regional level activities, national programmes will be encouraged and assisted to establish for their own national use, their own capacity building activities, preferably as part of on-going crop improvement or seed multiplication schemes.
Stakeholders and targets will vary and will include seed agencies, and local farming organisations, small seed sector entrepreneurs. For IPR , if possible, there will be others.. but they must also be made aware of the whole situation and not function in isolation.
Expected Results and Outputs:
The project is expected to create increased capacity at regional and national levels for the safe handling and release of seeds and planting materials. The enhanced capacity will be in the form of biotechnology laboratories at national level, model experimental stations, large number of senior level and technician grade biotechnology staff trained in appropriate techniques for biotechnology management and bio safety in crop improvement.
