Reducing Poverty through Cutting-edge Science. Summary Report of a CGIAR/NAS International Conference on Biotechnology

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1 b/d Consutative Group on Internationa Agricutura Research - CGIAR Internationa Centers Week 1999 October 25-29, Washington D.C. Reducing Poverty through Cutting-edge Science Summary Report of a CGIAR/NAS Internationa Conference on Biotechnoogy Attached is a summary report of a CGMVNAS Internationa Conference on Biotechnoogy which was hed on October 21-22, The report is for discussion under Agenda Item 3(c)i. cgarf3eaetariat Maiing Address: 1818 H Street, N.W., Washington, D.C , U.S.A. Offw Location: th Street, N.W. Te: (I-202) Cabe Address: MBMRAD Fax: (I-202) E-mai: CGwi@cgnet.com or CGM@woridbank.og

2 SUMMARY REPORT OF A CGIARiNAS INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON BIOTECHNOLOGY OCTOBER 21-22,1999, WASHINGTON, D.C. Biotechnoogy and its potentia impact on agricuture in deveoping countries was the theme of an internationa conference hed on October 2-22, 1999 at the Word Bank in Washington, DC. The conference on Ensuring Food Security, Protecting the Environment, Reducing Poverty in Deveoping Countries: Can Biotechnoogy Hep? was convened by the CGIAR in partnership with the U.S. Nationa Academy of Sciences (NAS). The conference was aso cosponsored by the foowing organizations: Biotechnoogy Industry Organization (BIO), Food and Agricuture Organization (FAO), Goba Forum on Agricutura Research (GFAR), Internationa Counci for Science (ICSU), Internationa Fund for Agricutura Deveopment (IFAD), Third Word Academy of Sciences (TWAS), U N Deveopment Programme (UNDP), UN Educationa, Scientific and Cutura Organization (UNESCO), UN Environment Programme (UNEP), UN Industria Deveopment Organization (UNIDO), and Union of Concerned Scientists) GJW. Objectives The objectives of the conference were: to broaden the awareness of deveoping countries views on issues associated with biotechnoogy and experience with its use; and to contribute to a better understanding of the scientific evidence underying the risk and pubic poicy issues reated to biotechnoogy and how they might be addressed. By providing a forum for scientific debate and review of the best evidence on these issues, the conference aimed to advance pubic understanding through participatory debate. The conference was goba in its scope, both in terms of program and participation and structured to give the deegates every opportunity to expore and debate a wide range of issues. Participants The conference attracted approximatey 400 participants, incuding many senior poicy makers from deveoping countries, scientists from nationa and internationa research organizations, and many participants from non-governmenta and community-based organizations, the private sector, deveopment communicators, and the media. Program The conference expored a diverse range of issues, covering the scientific, technoogica, environmenta, ethica, economic, and socia issues reated to the use of modern biotechnoogy and the needs of sma farmers and poor urban consumers in deveoping countries. A summary of the main themes and issues arising from the conference are given in this brief report. An edited proceedings wi be pubished in eary 2000.

3 . SETTINGTHECONTEXT The conference was opened by Donad Winkemann, Chair of the CGIAR Technica Advisory Committee and E. Wiiam Cogazier, Executive Officer of the US Nationa Research Counci/ Nationa Academy of Sciences. The opening penary session was addressed by three speakers, Aexander McCaa, Director of the Rura Deveopment department of the Word Bank, M.S. Swaminathan, Chairman, M.S. Swaminathan Foundation, India, and Marc van Montagu, Professor, Laboratory of Genetics, University of Ghent, Begium.. The three themes addressed in the opening penary session were: 1. Goba chaenges of popuation, food security, poverty, manutrition and environmenta degradation; 2. Goba issues reated to the use of modern biotechnoogy; 3. Goba research and deveopment (R & D) efforts which underpin the biotechnoogy revoution. In regard to goba chaenges, the most important were perceived to be: Aeviating poverty, improving food security and reducing manutrition, especiay amongst chidren; Providing sufficient income for the rapidy increasing numbers of urban poor; Using new technoogies for environmentay sustainabe deveopment. The foowing goba issues which may be affected positivey or negativey by the increased use of modern biotechnoogy were highighted: 0. Human heath, incuding the heath risks faced by the poor; Environmenta risks, incuding those due to cimate change, expanding agricuture and the reease of geneticay modified organisms (GMOs); Pubic acceptabiity of new biotechnoogies, especiay GMOs. In regard to R&D requirements, the foowing were recognized: The need for more pubic and private R & D investments on targets which affect the iveihoods of the poor and which are perceived to benefit both farmers and urban consumers; The need for innovative mechanisms to stimuate more R&D on the probems important to the rura and urban poor; suggestions made incuded exporing the feasibiity of tax concessions in OECD countries and a goba competitive grants faciity; The need for oca start-up companies to commerciaise and distribute new technoogies, incuding the continuing importance of oca seed companies in the distribution of new pant varieties; The need to expore new modaities for pubic/private sector partnerships, buiding on the experience of those aready in operation, especiay in reation to inteectua property management. 2

4 VIEWS AND EXPERIENCES OF DEVELOPING COUNTRIES Senior poicy makers and participants from Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, Sub Saharan Africa and West Asia/North Africa shared their views on and experiences with the use of modern biotechnoogy in a series of parae sessions. The sessions addressed the foowing questions: What are the chaenges?, What are the opportunities for depoying biotechnoogica approaches? What are the constraints to using these approaches? How can the CGIAR and the internationa,agricutura research centers assist deveoping countries to buid nationa capacity in areas of biotechnoogy, incuding risk and reguatory issues and inteectua property management? Asia/Pacific Country review papers were presented from China, India, the Phiippines and Thaiand. China and India are both committed to the use of modem biotechnoogy in agricuture and have committed significant financia and human resources to this poicy over the past decade. A four countries have reguatory systems in pace at the nationa and institutiona eve to govern R&D programs and commercia deveopments where appropriate. Inteectua property management was considered to be a difficut issue for a countries. China has moved most quicky to the eary adoption of new technoogies and presenty has 53 GMOs in the process of being commerciaized. These incude severa transgenic crop varieties being grown commerciay. India has aocated arge pubic resources towards the deveopment of infrastructure and human resources deveopment in biotechnoogy. Thaiand is focussing on the appications of biotechnoogy to traditiona foods and fruits that have export potentia. An eary success has being in the appication of biotechnoogy to improve shrimp cutivation for export. Pubic concerns have been most voca in the Phiippines and this is constraining the use of genetic engineering in agricuture. Latin America and the Caribbean Three papers were discussed, covering agri-biotechnoogy in Brazi, environmenta monitoring and safety in the use of GMOs and the issues affecting biodiversity and biotechnoogy in Latin America. Key chaenges identified were the management of inteectua property in reation to major and minor crops; the need to expore severa research options, not ony a moecuar approach in assessing how best to tacke the different probems and chaenges being faced in improving agricutura productivity; the identification of beneficiaries; the reative priority for work on favored and/or margina areas; the potentia for using GMOs as indicators of environmenta damage; and the need for monitoring after reease of GMOs, in order to satisfy concerns in some societies about the behavior of GMOs in.the 3

5 environment, incuding the key questions of wi pay for it? How to do it? Who wi do it? And Who Sub Saharan Africa Three papers were presented, describing the current status of poicy and programs using biotechnoogy in South Africa, Kenya and Zimbabwe. These were compemented by interventions on the situation in other African countries. The major chaenge identified was the persistent poor performance of agricuture which is eading to a food crisis. The issues concerning many countries are how to improve food security, increase productivity, conserve biodiversity, reduce pest management costs, and dea with increasing urban migration. Specific issues reated to biotechnoogy are how to deveop institutiona capacity for risk assessment and management, access information, and deveop human resources. Severa success stories ~ were described where biotechnoogica approaches have contributed to the soution of some specific probems, and reduced the cost of pest contro and created new empoyment opportunities in towns and viages (e.g. rapid mutipication of disease-free banana pantets in Kenya; use of pest resistant cotton in South Africa; use of new vaccines against anima diseases in Kenya and Zimbabwe). Constraints identified incuded the ack of awareness of the benefits and risks associated with modem biotechnoogy; the ack of capacity to dea with assessing these and in reguating the use of modem biotechnoogy; the high investment costs associated with biotechnoogica innovations; and increasing concerns being expressed in the media about the potentia negative impacts of biotechnoogy. West Asia and North Africa Three papers were presented covering Egypt, Iran and Jordan. The chaenges identified were the need to increase agricutura productivity whie preserving the fragie natura resource base in the region, and the need to conserve the rich indigenous pant and anima species. The opportunities identified were to use modem biotechnoogy to deveop crop varieties toerant to biotic and abiotic stresses, especiay drought and sat toerance; improve the nutritiona quaity of agricutura commodities; produce biofertiizers and biopesticides; and improve the avaiabiity of soi nutrients. The main constraints are inadequate financia resources, ack of quaified personne, poor infrastructure, insufficient regiona and internationa coaboration and ack of cear strategies, poicies and reguatory frameworks to guide the use of modem biotechnoogy in most countries in the region. Common themes The outcomes of a the regiona sessions were positive about the importance of making the best possibe use of the new deveopments in modem biotechnoogy to dea with the major chaenges of feeding expanding popuations from the existing and and water 4

6 , resources and aeviating poverty by stimuating the growth of bioscience-based industries, with an associated growth in empoyment. There was a recognition of the need for deveoping countries, which were pursuing the safe and effective use of modem biotechnoogy, to have in pace effective reguatory systems at the nationa and institutiona eves which were compatibe with internationa best practice. There was aso a widey hed view in a regions that inteectua property management was a major issue, in terms of enabing access to other peope s technoogy and in rewarding oca innovations. There is a need for countries to have sufficient knowedgeabe peope who can dea with these issues in internationa negotiations.. Increasing activity in NARS The information presented at the conference demonstrated that there is much activity in progress in the use of modem biotechnoogy in deveoping countries, probaby much more than is commony recognized internationay. Much of the R&D in nationa systems is being funded by nationa governments and some by biatera and mutiatera deveopment agencies. It was estimated that at east twice as much of the biotechnoogyreated R & D in the pubic sector in deveoping countries is being funded by nationa governments as by the internationa deveopment community. The tota R&D effort is sti1 substantiay ess than the high private sector investments in biotechnoogy in the U.S.A, Europe and other OECD countries. Nevertheess, there is movement towards a critica mass of pubic sector investments in biotechnoogy in severa deveoping countries. THEMATIC SESSIONS Severa critica issues reated to the potentia appications of biotechnoogy to agricuture in deveoping countries were addressed in a series of penary thematic sessions. These covered: Risks to the environment Risks to human heath Risk and impact on socia and economic order Ethica chaenges Roes of the pubic and private sectors Inteectua property management. Communicating biotechnoogy and addressing pubic perceptions and concerns. The foowing issues were highighted in each of these sessions: Risks to the environment Need to have a transparent, science-based framework which assesses risks on a case by case basis and takes account of a stakehoder views. 5

7 The environment-reated issues to be considered in each case incude the possibiities for gene transfer, weediness, specific trait effects, genetic and phenotypic variabiity, and expression of pathogenic genes. Risks to biodiversity and widife are important issues in particuar environments Risk management needs to consider the prospects for managing any specific risks identified with a proposed reease; experience is accumuating in the management of the Bt genes in transgenic cotton varieties in severa countries. An agricutura sustainabiity protoco for the approva and use of new crop varieties which baances risks and benefits may have vaue. Risks to human heath Protocos for assessing the potentia heath risks from aergens in geneticay modified foods are avaiabe and in use in severa countries. The importance of having an independent reguatory system for food safety which enjoyed a high degree of pubic trust was emphasized. Other issues of human heath which need to be addressed on a case by case basis incude toxicity, the use of antibiotic markers, food intoerance, and nutritiona vaue. Adequate abeing is important to enabe consumer choice and insti pubic confidence. Socio-economic impact There is a risk that modem science may bypass the needs of poor peope Biotechnoogy is ony one too in addressing the socio-economic chaenges of food security and poverty, and there is a need for its use to be integrated with appropriate poicies and other R&D programs, incuding conventiona pant breeding. The positive and negative impacts of biotechnoogy need to be monitored over time in terms of who is affected, how are they affected and over what time period. Monitoring impact wi provide guidance for pubic poicy makers. Ethica chaenges Need to distinguish technoogy-inherent and technoogy transcending risks. Technoogy inherent risks are those associated with threats to human heath and the environment. Technoogy transcending risks incude those associated with the risk of increasing the poverty gap within and between societies, reducing biodiversity, and anti trust and internationa trade issues. Environmenta and food safety risks may be overstated by some as a means of gaining attention to technoogy transcending risks and ethica concerns. The potentia monopoy power of a few ife sciences companies is a concern. 6

8 Important to pursue a diaogue on ethica issues in order to better carify rea issues and how they might be addressed. Pubic/private sector roes Pubic and private sector roes are changing Research institutions are more dependent on each other in biotech-based technoogy deveopment and utiization, with mutipe partnerships common. Lessons can be earned from pubic-private partnerships in biotechnoogy Two critica roes were seen for the CGIAR system: Protector of the interests of the poor and faciitator and bridge-buider in biotechnoogy partnerships New pubic poicy and innovative institutiona arrangements may be necessary. Inteectua property management Learning to manage IP is a critica issue for many countries and institutions. IP management incudes carifying the roe of institutions, deveoping an IP inventory, deveoping ownership of IP where appropriate, undertaking technoogy transfer and marketing of IP; Human resource deveopment is a major need in this area. Benefit sharing with hoders of indigenous knowedge and genetic resources is an important issue. Communicating biotechnoogy and addressing pubic concerns Pubic opinion is not necessariy based on scientific fact but it cannot be ignored; fears based on perceptions are nonetheess very rea; Improved diaogue is necessary to invove a stakehoders, incuding farmers and consumers, in the assessment of the risks and benefits of modem biotechnoogy. Trust is the key eement to pursue in addressing pubic perceptions. Communicating about biotechnoogy is perception management, not just handing out. information but engaging in diaogue; Diaogue needs to be specific about which appications of biotechnoogy are being pursued, for what purpose and what are the potentia risks and benefits. CONCLUSION Biotechnoogy is ony one too, but a potentiay important too, in the strugge to reduce poverty, improve food security, reduce manutrition and enhance the iveihoods of the rura and urban poor. The uncertainties and the risks are yet to be fuy understood and the possibiities are as yet not fuy fathomed. It seems important not to deny peope access to new technoogy, so ong as they are fuy informed of the potentia risks and benefits. In assessing the current and potentia usefuness of modem biotechnoogies for the soution of specific probems in agricuture, the conference was breaking new ground in terms of anayzing how best to assess and mobiize: 7

9 1. the rapid deveopments in science and technoogy; 2. new pubic poicy requirements; 3. new institutiona arrangements 4. diaogue amongst a interested parties Suggestions for the CGIAR and the IARCS Severa speakers noted during the conference that countries are not a the same, and it is important to dea with the experience and needs of specific countries, and the specific probems in their agricutura sectors. The CGIAR system coud pay a usefu roe, possiby in association with the other cosponsors of the conference, in assembing and making accessibe the factua information about what is happening in the use of modern biotechnoogy in deveoping countries today. Such data base shoud incude the specific probems which need to be addressed in terms of the priorities, the science, the transfer of technoogy, th e assessment and management of risks, and the associated pubic poicy questions of reguation, pubic acceptance of new technoogies, inteectua property management, trade and anti-trust issues, capacity buiding and investment. There is a need to move the debate forward from the generic to the specific. This woud enabe carification of where the probems are and what can be done to sove them. Severa specific suggestions emerged during the conference as to areas of activity and issues where the various eements of the CGIAR system, especiay the internationa agricutura research centers supported by the Group, may pay a usefu roe in the future: These incuded: 1. Faciitating information sharing The CGIAR system, working with other interested parties, incuding the cosponsors from this conference, coud faciitate the gathering and sharing of information as to the current status in the use of modern biotechnoogy in deveoping and deveoped countries today, as a basis for identifying specific technica, poicy and institutiona probems and opportunities which need to be addressed, at either the nationa, regiona or internationa IeveI. 2. Probem identification and priority setting The CGIAR system coud assist in identifying the priority probems and opportunities for mobiizing science for the probems of the poor and identify those which can best be deat with at the nationa, regiona and internationa eve. 3. Supporting nationa capacity buiding The CGIAR centers coud provide further technica support for capacity buiding in NAM, in the centers areas of expertise. In carrying this out, they woud be working with individua countries, UN agencies and other sources of expertise to assist countries in deveoping the necessary expertise in knowedge management, reguatory affairs for 8

10 t environmenta and heath risk assessment and management, ega and patent issues, science and technoogy and financia and business management. 4. Ensuring compiance with agreed biosafety standards at the nationa and internationa eve The IARCs need to ensure that they and their research partners compy with agreed nationa and internationa biosafety requirements in their host and partner countries. The IARCs may aso be abe to assist partner countries in the monitoring of environmenta reeases of GMOs and in identifying and using best practices in this rapidy evoving fied. 5. Inteectua property management There is an urgent need for better management of inteectua property by the IARCs and NARS in respect to nationa poicies and egisation, faciitating access to and freedom to operate with propriety technoogies, and finding means to reward traditionai innovation and oca inventions. The current initiatives such as the centra advisory service for IP at ISNAR wi go some way towards meeting this need. 6. Pubic/private sector partnerships The CGIAR system shoud strengthen its efforts to deveop and impement specific pubic/private sector partnerships, buiding on the experience of past efforts, and expore new modaities such as tax incentives, and possiby a goba competitive grants faciity. 7. Communication and addressing pubic concerns There is a need to constanty communicate with stakehoders, to address pubic concerns and to engage in diaogue with proponents and opponents of new technoogies as to the rea issues which wi impact on deveoping countries. The conference provided a forum for the exchange of a weath of knowedge, information and experience, and the discussion of a variety of sometimes differing perspectives which wi be vauabe to the co-sponsors, and to the participants in moving ahead with the responsibe use of the new deveopments in science and technoogy for the benefit of society. OCTOBER ICW 99 gjp/m 9