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Agricultural Biotechnologies
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The News items relate to applications of biotechnologies in food and agriculture in developing countries and their major focus is on the activities of FAO, other UN agencies/bodies and the 15 CGIAR research centres. The News items cover all food and agricultural sectors (crops, forestry, fisheries/aquaculture, livestock, agro-industry) and a wide range of biotechnologies (e.g. use of molecular markers, artificial insemination, triploidisation, biofertilisers, micropropagation, genomics, genetic modification etc.). New documents are included as News if they are freely available on the web and, for people who can't download them or who wish further information, an e-mail contact is also provided. The News service was launched in January 2002 and all News items posted since then (there were 800 in the first 9 years) are available here. The news and event items on this website are also disseminated through an e-mail newsletter called FAO-BiotechNews that is published in six different versions, one per language i.e. Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish. To subscribe, send a message to [email protected] indicating which e-mail addresses are to be subscribed and in which language they wish to receive the newsletter.
01/07/2007
The Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity has just published the 2nd issue of Biosafety Protocol News. This 16-page issue focuses on national experiences in the implementation of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety. See the issue (925 KB) or contact [email protected] for more information.
10/06/2007
As part of its Background Study Paper series (number 34), the FAO Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture has just published "Genomics and genetic resources for food and agriculture" by R. Fears. The 51-page study is organised into five main sections: introduction to the role of the biosciences in the use of genetic resources; current status of genomics and functional genomics; capitalising on advances in genomics; trends in investment; and facing the challenges to achieve food security and sustainable development. See ftp://ftp.fao.org/ag/cgrfa/bsp/bsp34e.pdf or contact [email protected] for more information.
09/06/2007
As part of its Background Study Paper series (number 35), the FAO Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture has just published "A typology of the effects of (trans)gene flow on the conservation and sustainable use of genetic resources" by J.A. Heinemann. The 100-page paper is organised into 5 chapters: gene flow what is it?; possible effects of (trans)gene flow on agriculture, plant and animal biodiversity and human and animal health; legal, social and economic effects of gene flow; managing gene flow; and is co-existence sustainable?. See ftp://ftp.fao.org/ag/cgrfa/bsp/bsp35r1e.pdf or contact [email protected] for more information.
08/06/2007
A paper prepared for the Genetic Resources Policy Committee of the CGIAR, entitled "Technical issues relating to agricultural microbial genetic resources (AMiGRs), including their characteristics, utilization, preservation and distribution" was distributed as a draft information paper to the 11th Regular Session of the Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, held at FAO Headquarters, Rome on 11-15 June 2007. Examples of some agricultural microbial genetic resources (AMiGRs, defined as "microbes that assist the production of plants or animals, either directly or indirectly, in agricultural settings") described in the paper include root nodule bacteria, mycorrhizal fungi, rumen microbes, biocontrol agents and AMiGRs facilitating DNA or gene transfer. See the 46-page paper, based on an information document prepared by J.G. Howieson, at ftp://ftp.fao.org/ag/cgrfa/cgrfa11/r11c3e.pdf or contact [email protected] for more information.
07/06/2007
FAO and the World Health Organization (WHO) convened an expert consultation on the "Safety assessment of foods derived from recombinant-DNA animals" at WHO Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, from 26 February to 2 March 2007. Its objective was to provide scientific advice to FAO/WHO and their Member States on two sets of questions regarding i) marker and reporter genes and ii) non-heritable applications. The meeting report is now available. See the report or contact [email protected] for more information. (Following definitions provided in the report, marker genes are "used to determine if a piece of DNA has been successfully introduced into the animal cell"; a reporter gene is "a gene that encodes a product that can be readily assayed"; and the term non-heritable applications covers the direct introduction of nucleic acids into non-germ line tissue of animals that will enter the food supply).
06/06/2007
The report of the 35th Session of the Codex Committee on Food Labelling (CCFL), that took place from 30 April to 4 May 2007 in Ottawa, Canada, is now available. Agenda Item 5, on "Labelling of foods and food ingredients obtained through certain techniques of genetic modification / genetic engineering", is covered in paragraphs 98-123 of the report. See the report (491 KB) or contact [email protected] for further information. For some background on the CCFL`s work in this area, see http://www.fao.org/ag/agn/agns/biotechnology_labelling_en.asp (in English, French and Spanish).
04/06/2007
The FAO Glossary of Biotechnology for Food and Agriculture has now been translated into Serbian (published by Partenon, Belgrade). The 351-page book provides in English the same terms and definitions contained in the original glossary as well as their Serbian translation. The glossary provides consolidated, comprehensive and accessible definitions of over 3,000 terms and acronyms that are used regularly in biotechnology, including genetic engineering, and closely allied fields. The original English version of the glossary was written by A. Zaid, H.G. Hughes, E. Porceddu and F. Nicholas and the Serbian translation was carried out by M. Plavsic, T. Cobic and S. Stojanovic, with Z. Stojanovic as the technical secretary and M. Kraljevic-Balalic as the reviewer. The publication (3 MB) can be downloaded from the multi-lingual biotechnology glossary website, http://www.fao.org/biotech/index_glossary.asp. Contact [email protected] for more information.
03/06/2007
As part of its FAO Fisheries Technical Papers series, the FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Department has just published "Installation and operation of a modular bivalve hatchery", prepared by S. Sarkis and compiled/edited by A. Lovatelli. The 173-page manual contains 5 chapters focusing on a rearing phase (broodstock conditioning, algal culture, hatchery, nursery and, finally, growout of juveniles) and providing technical drawings with descriptive text; scientific background on biology and culture aspects; and operational and culture protocols. The 6th chapter looks at economic considerations. See http://www.fao.org/docrep/010/a0797e/a0797e00.htm or contact [email protected] for more information.
02/06/2007
The International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) and the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-Biotech Applications (ISAAA) have just published "Genes are gems: Reporting agri-biotechnology", by R.L Navarro, S.G. Warrier and C.C Maslog. The 139-page book has been prepared for science communicators who want to report on agricultural biotechnology. It synthesises the presentations, discussions and outputs from a series of seminar-workshops on agri-biotechnology for the mass media organised by ICRISAT in Asia and West Africa between 2004 and 2006, in cooperation with ISAAA and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). See http://www.icrisat.org/Publications/Genes_Gems.htm or contact [email protected] for more information.
01/06/2007
As part of its IFPRI Discussion Papers series, the International Food Policy Research Institute has recently published "The economics of GM food labels: An evaluation of mandatory labeling proposals in India" by S. Bansal and B. Ramaswami. The 35-page paper evaluates the optimal regulatory approach to labelling of genetically modified (GM) foods. See http://www.ifpri.org/pubs/dp/ifpridp00704.asp or contact [email protected] for more information. IFPRI Discussion Papers contain preliminary material and research results and are circulated to stimulate discussion and critical comment.
06/05/2007
The FAO Working Group on Biotechnology has just published a CD-ROM containing the Arabic, English, French and Spanish versions of the FAO Glossary of Biotechnology for Food and Agriculture. The glossary, available on the web at http://www.fao.org/biotech/index_glossary.asp, is a convenient reference source for researchers, students, technicians and translators. It provides consolidated, comprehensive and accessible definitions of over 3,000 terms and acronyms that are used regularly in biotechnology, including genetic engineering, and closely allied fields. The CD-ROM is equipped with user-friendly searching facilities that allow easy cross-referencing among the four languages. Contact [email protected] to request a copy, providing your full postal address.
05/05/2007
On 12-15 February 2007, FAO organised an international workshop on "The future of biopesticides in Desert Locust management" in Saly, Senegal, with support from the International Fund for Agricultural Development, the International Organization of the Francophonie and the World Bank. Its goal was to determine: i) what role Metarhizium (a pathogenic fungus) and PAN (the hormone phenylacetonitrile) should play in Desert Locust management and ii) key actions required to integrate biopesticides into operational campaigns. Workshop documents are now available on a CD-ROM and the workshop report is available on the web in English and French. See the report or contact [email protected] to request the CD-ROM and/or a copy of the report.
04/05/2007
The Scientific and Technical Review is a peer-reviewed journal published by the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) three times a year which contains in-depth studies devoted to current scientific and technical developments in animal health and veterinary public health world-wide. The latest issue, volume 25 (3), is now available on the web, containing a range of biotechnology-related papers, including "Aspects of kit validation for tests used for the diagnosis and surveillance of livestock diseases: producer and end-user responsibilities" by J.R. Crowther, H. Unger and G.J. Viljoen from the Joint FAO/IAEA Division of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture. See the issue or contact [email protected] for more information.
03/05/2007
A major output of the work of the OECDs Working Group on Harmonisation of Regulatory Oversight in Biotechnology is the publication of consensus documents, which typically compile information on the biology of specific crop plant species which is for use in environmental risk/ safety assessment. The "Consensus document on the biology of the Native North American Larches: Subalpine larch (Larix lyallii), Western larch (Larix occidentalis), and tamarack (Larix laricina)" is now available on the web, at http://appli1.oecd.org/olis/2007doc.nsf/linkto/env-jm-mono(2007)7. The OECDs Task Force for the Safety of Novel Foods and Feeds also publishes consensus documents, dealing with issues related to human foods and animal feeds. It has recently published the "Consensus document on compositional considerations for new varieties of the cultivated mushroom Agaricus bisporus: Key food and feed nutrients, anti-nutrients and toxicants" and the "Consensus document on compositional considerations for new varieties of sunflower: Key food and feed nutrients, anti-nutrients and toxicants". See http://appli1.oecd.org/olis/2007doc.nsf/linkto/env-jm-mono(2007)5 and http://appli1.oecd.org/olis/2007doc.nsf/linkto/env-jm-mono(2007)6 respectively, or contact [email protected] for more information about any of these three publications.
02/05/2007
Fusarium head blight and Fusarium crown rot are important threats to sustainable wheat and barley production worldwide. Efforts to combat these diseases have been increasing around the world throughout numerous countries and research communities. On 14-17 March 2006, the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), with support from the Government of Japan, organised a strategic planning workshop in El Batán, Mexico, to highlight the importance of diseases caused by the Fusarium fungus; the status of collaborative efforts to address these diseases; and future prospects for international collaboration. Proceedings of the meeting, edited by T. Ban, J.M. Lewis and E.E. Phipps, include several research papers on the use of molecular markers in breeding for disease resistance and are now available on the web. See http://www.cimmyt.org/english/docs/proceedings/fusarium06.pdf (2.1 MB) or contact [email protected] for more information.
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