The latest Update of FAO-BiotechNews has just been published, containing 14 news items related to applications of biotechnology in crops (see http://www.fao.org/biotech/news_list.asp?thexpand=1&cat=131).

Legal instruments addressing GMOs

As part of its FAO Legislative Study series, the FAO Legal Office has published "Law and modern biotechnology: Selected issues of relevance to food and agriculture" by L. Glowka and A. Ingrassia. This 172-page study reviews international, regional and a selection of national laws related to GMOs. Three categories of legal instruments are considered: those dealing with biosafety, food safety and consumer protection. The study includes issues such as public participation in the policy-making and regulatory decision-making process; oversight mechanisms to examine the merits of GMOs in the areas of biosafety, food safety or consumer protection and provides some general conclusions on major gaps and trends of existing biotechnology-related legislation. See ftp://ftp.fao.org/docrep/fao/006/y4839E/y4839E00.pdf or contact DevLaw@fao.org to request a copy.

Environmental effects of GM crops - Consultation report

On 16-18 June 2003, an Expert Consultation on the '"Environmental effects of genetically modified crops" was organised at FAO Headquarters, Rome, Italy, by FAO's Plant Production and Protection Division. The aim of the consultation was to assess the current understanding of the effects of GM crops on ecosystems, identify gaps and priorities and indicate the role of FAO in this context. The 17-page consultation report is now available on the web. See http://www.fao.org/ag/doc/EEGMCsumm.htm (report in English, summary in Arabic, Chinese, English, French and Spanish) or contact FAO to request a copy.

Tissue culture technology in developing countries

The Plant Breeding and Genetic Section of the joint FAO/IAEA Division of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture has just released "Low cost options for tissue culture technology in developing countries" on the web. This 106-page publication was prepared on the basis of contributions made at a meeting on "Low cost tissue culture technology for developing countries", held on 26-30 August 2002 in Vienna, Austria. It describes options for reducing costs in the establishment and operation of plant tissue culture facilities and focuses primarily on plant micropropagation. It includes the basics of tissue culture technology, bioreactors, low-cost options in the design of laboratories, use of media and containers, energy and labour saving, integration and adoption of low cost options, increasing plant survival after propagation, and outreach of material to growers and farmers in developing countries. See http://www-pub.iaea.org/MTCD/publications/PDF/te_1384_web.pdf (1061 KB) or contact IAEA for more information or to request a hard copy.

GM crops and biodiversity - Working paper

As part of its ESA Working Papers series, FAO's Agricultural and Development Economics Division (ESA) has just published "Private research and public goods: Implications of biotechnology for biodiversity" by T. Raney and P. Pingali. This 31-page document explores a range of policy options to increase the likelihood that private sector research and development, particularly in the form of transgenic crops, enhances rather than erodes crop genetic diversity. The ESA Working Papers series presents ESA’s ongoing research and papers are circulated to stimulate discussion and comments. See http://www.fao.org/es/ESA/pdf/wp/ESAWP04_07.pdf or contact esa@fao.org to request a copy of the paper.

Codex - GMO detection

The report of the 25th Session of the Codex Committee on Methods of Analysis and Sampling, held on 8-12 March 2004 in Budapest, Hungary, is now available. One of the items on the agenda was "Criteria for the methods for the detection and identification of foods derived from biotechnology - General approach and criteria for the methods". See the agenda and meeting report (ALINORM 04/23) at http://www.codexalimentarius.net/reports.asp or contact codex@fao.org for further information.

Codex - Risk analysis for food safety

The 20th Session of the Codex Committee on General Principles took place in Paris, France, on 3-7 May 2004. Item 4 on the agenda addressed "Proposed draft working principles for risk analysis for food safety". The meeting report, with the agenda and working documents, will be provided at http://www.codexalimentarius.net/reports.asp. Contact codex@fao.org for more information.

Seed policies and regulations

The 27th FAO Regional Conference for Asia and the Pacific takes place on 17-21 May 2004 in Beijing, China. One of the information documents to be presented is entitled "Seed policy and regulations in the light of the International Treaty on PGRFA and the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety". It provides a brief overview of seed systems and also discusses the impact that the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, the International Plant Protection Convention and the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety may have on national seed policies and regulations. See http://www.fao.org/Unfao/Bodies/RegConferences/aprc27/aprc27_en.htm (document APRC/04/INF/5, in Chinese, English and French) or contact FAO to request a copy.

International Rice Commission - Proceedings of 20th Session

The 20th Session of the International Rice Commission (IRC) was held on 23-26 July 2002 in Bangkok, Thailand. Proceedings of the Session, held every four years, are now available on the web, entitled "Sustainable rice production for food security". A number of papers discussed the role of biotechnology. The IRC works within the framework of FAO and currently has 61 member countries. See http://www.fao.org/DOCREP/006/Y4751E/y4751e00.htm or contact FAO for more information.

COP-MOP 1 meeting report

The 1st meeting of the Conference of the Parties serving as the Meeting of Parties to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (COP-MOP 1) took place on 23-27 February 2004 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The 147-page report of the meeting is now available. See Document 23 (UNEP/CBD/BS/COP-MOP/1/15, in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish) at http://www.biodiv.org/doc/meeting.aspx?mtg=MOP-01 or contact secretariat@biodiv.org for further information.

COP 7 meeting report

The 7th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP 7) took place on 9-20 February 2004 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The 91-page report, as well as the 317-page report annex containing the text of the decisions adopted, is now available (in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish). See http://www.biodiv.org/doc/meeting.aspx?lg=0&mtg=cop-07 (Documents 39 and 40 i.e. UNEP/CBD/COP/7/21/PART1 and UNEP/CBD/COP/7/21/PART2 respectively) or contact secretariat@biodiv.org for further information.

UNEP-GEF biosafety workshop reports - Chile, Turkey

A series of six sub-regional workshops on "Development of a regulatory regime and administrative systems for national biosafety frameworks" is taking place under the UNEP-GEF Project on Development of National Biosafety Frameworks. Reports from the workshops on 25-28 November 2003 in Santiago, Chile (report in English and Spanish) and on 9-12 December 2003 in Antalya, Turkey (in English) are available at http://www.unep.ch/biosafety/devdocuments.htm#subregthird or contact biosafety@unep.ch for more information.

UNCTAD-ICTSD: Nutrition and technology transfer policies

As a contribution to the UNCTAD-ICTSD (United Nations Conference on Trade and Development-International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development) Project on Intellectual Property Rights and Sustainable Development, a paper entitled "Nutrition and technology transfer policies" by J.H. Barton has just been published on the web. The 27-page paper describes nutrition and agricultural trends; technology transfer processes in nutrition and agriculture; analyses the key policy issues (including biosafety and biotechnology) in 4 situations (market or small-holder agriculture, with private or public sector technology transfer) and, finally, reviews the general implications for developing countries. See http://www.iprsonline.org/unctadictsd/docs/CS_Barton.pdf or contact ictsd@ictsd.ch for more information.

Conference on Biotechnology for Asian Development

On 7-8 April 2004, the 2nd Conference on Biotechnology for Asian Development was held in New Delhi, India, organised by the Research and Information System for the Non-Aligned and Other Developing Countries (RIS) and with the support, among others, of the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The conference covered issues such as food security in Asia, intellectual property rights, trade, labelling and traceability, socio-economic impacts and private-public partnerships. Presentations are available at http://www.ris.org.in/SecCon/Program.htm or contact dgoffice@ris.org.in for more information.

ICGEB Biosafety Unit 2003 report

A report providing an update of activities implemented by the ICGEB Biosafety Unit for the year 2003, as well as an outlook of possible new programmes that may involve the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB) in the future, is now available. See http://www.icgeb.org/biosafety/bsfbroch.htm or contact biosafe@icgeb.org for more information.