The background document for the FAO e-mail conference entitled "Public participation in decision-making regarding GMOs in developing countries: How to effectively involve rural people" is now available. The 12-page document gives a brief overview of the current status regarding GMOs in crops, forests, fisheries, livestock and agro-industry; discusses the decision-making areas where the public could be involved; provides a brief overview of some relevant international agreements and discusses some of the specificities regarding information access and participation for people in rural areas in developing countries. See http://www.fao.org/biotech/C12doc.htm or contact [email protected] to request a copy of the document by e-mail. The e-mail conference runs from 17 January to 13 February 2005 and is hosted by the FAO Biotechnology Forum. To join the Forum (and also register for the conference), send an e-mail to [email protected] leaving the subject blank and entering only the following text on two separate lines:subscribe BIOTECH-Lsubscribe biotech-room4Forum members wishing to register for the conference should leave out the first line of the above message.

13/12/2004