Summary of discussions of the third meeting of the CGIAR Task Force on Biotechnology (BIOTASK).Agenda document, CGIAR meeting, May 1990

CGIAR Task Force on Biotechnology

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Third Meeting of the CGIAR Task Force on Biotechnology (BIOTASK) 20 May 1990, The Hague Summary of Discussions 1. Role of BIOTASK BIOTASK confirmed its objectk to raise awareness and inform the different components of the CGIAR on issuts involved in the inttgration of modem biotechnology in the center% programmes and the possible tffezts on NARS. It will not take over rcsponsiics that other activities within tht CGIAR could takt up. Its aim is to stimulate in&rest, to raise awareness of issues, and to provide se&es not able to be provided by other elemtnts of the Group. Against this background, the me*? *of BIOTASK agreed to the actions &tailed below in relation to the eurrtnt and plamtcd a&v&es of the Task Force. 2 Information Activities . FAO would explore further the pottntial of the AGRIS and CARIS databases as a source of information on biotechnology and how this might be useful to the NARS, the IARCs and the members of tht CGIAR. . CAB1 is in the process of adopting a new strategy by which devtloping count& will be supplied at marginal costs. This requires readers from industrial&d conntries to meat full costs and to establish partntrships whereby development agencies will sponsor the purchase of CAB1 journals and services for clients in developing countries. CAB1 is receptive towards BIOTASK. CAB1 is conducting in depth studies on information needs in developing countries, which will include assessment of information needs in biotechnology. . The BIOTASK Chairman would investigate the possibiity of obtaining from donors additional financial sponsorship for the provision of copies of the CAB1 journal ‘Agbiotcch News and Information’ to potential users in the CGIAR system and NARS. 3. Inventory of Biotechnology Achities at the IARCs The CGIAR Secretariat has obtained figures for tht estimated expenditures on bioteclmchgy at the IARCs. The tigures would appear to be broad approximations; it is difficult to obtain precise &mates of expenditurt, due to the varying definition given to biotechnology. The present estimates suggest approximately USS4 miIlion is beii spent on plant biotechnology, and USS8 million is beii spent on animal biotechnology by tht IARCs annually. It was agreed that BIOTASK should concentrate its iuventoxy on the qualitative descriptions of the current research programs at the IARQ rather than placing too much emphasis on tht . . qmnbhtm tstimatts of expenditure. An inventory of activities is available for 1990, in a paper preparedby Drs. Phxknett, Cohen and Home in 1989. 4. BIOTASK Seminarz RFW Mapping and Plant Breeding The group noted the seminar to be held in Canberra for senior plant breeders kom some IARCs andNARsontheuseofRFLpmappiqgtcchaiquesinplaatbreeding Thetmphasisonthecoume is on tht introduction of the potential psc of tht technology in plant breeding prm rather than a tech&al course on tht methodology. Thert may be othtr occasions where it would be appropriate for BIOTASK to sponsor the participation of CGIAR participants in such formal courses on RFLF+ mapping (such as one at Comtll Univtrsity). -2- 5. Cassava and Biotechnology Workshop A small workshop was held in Amsttrdam iu March 1990, sponsored by the Government of The Netherlands. It was attended by represent&k of several development agencies, ETA, CIAT and ISNAR. One important step was to formulate joint criteria for selecting targets for the application of biote&nology to cassava. 6. Biosafety Seminars Thra forthcoming USDAMPIIIS seminam on risk amessment on rice, wheat and maize, and rapeseed were noted togethtr with the request for BIOTASK donor members to consider sponsorshipofparticipantsfromLDCsattheseme&lgs. The need for all commudity antres to have institutional biosaftty committtes and/or guidelines on the txperimtntal use and tnvironmental rtltase of gtnttically engineered orga&ms was rtiter#ed. USAID and the Gownmtnt of the Netherlands expressed a particular in&rest in w-sponsoring a aoss-centre seminar on the formulation of biosafety guidelines 7. Public/Rivatt Sector Collaboration There are several activities in progress within the CGIAR system related to public4private sector collaboration. These include the analyh of the attitude of the IARCs to intellectual property rights and patent issues requested by the Chahman of the CGIAR, a strategy paper beii prepared for the Centrt Directors and the. TAC working group on genetic resources. These initktk underlint tht needs of tht IARCs for information on these issues. It was agreed that BIOTASK would continue with its plan to sponsor a aoss-antrt seminar on publiJprivatt sector issues, to enable i&rested antres to discuss issues such as intekctual property management, and technology aquisition from the private sector. Those involved in tht CGIAR initiatives above, and other groups (such as the Dutch Working Group, Cornell Univekty, Max Plan&, FAO et al), and resourq persons knowledgeable of the American and European initiatives on this issue should be invited. Because of tht urgency of the topic (GATT conferena, EEG proposals) tht seminar should preferably take place in late 1990. 8. Biotechnology Country Studies Several country studies are tither in progress or due to commence shortly in the Middle East, Africa and in Asia, with support principally from UNDP, the World Bank and tht Government of tht Ntthtrlands. A workshop will be held in late 1990 to compare the experience and the needs of different countries in relation to biotechnology, both on identification of opportunities for tht use of biottchnology, and the related policy and managtment issues. The nad for advice and information on both policy and management issues, and w aquisition related to agbltmd biotechnology are being explored in relation to the country studies. Possiblemtchanismsastohowsachachictmightbestbema&aMilabltto~ comltritsartalsobeing~td. Thisneedwas~atthtMay1989biottchnology stminarincanbam.Thtoptionsbeingamsidtrtdinchldt~tstab-ofanagriudtural . ~anitforashortperiodtostimalatcbidcchnologyl~and~~~ . ~~intothengnlar~oftheIARCs,NARSandinttIllational agencies. Aprelimmarypaperonthissubjectisavailabltfordiscu&onpmposes, somtiuitial nactions~~thtBIOTASKmembtrswerethatif~~asmallnnitwasestablished,it~o~dbe functional and fa&t&ing, rather than coordi&ng (it should not be a miniSPAAR); it should haveaclearIydtfised,limitedlifespan,withasuasetclause;andthatinasstssingntcdsand opportunities for biotechnology, these should be seen in the overall context of science policy and technology assessment in individual countries. - 3 - 9. Ceutre Directors’ Paper on Biotechnology The group discussed the Centrt Dire&o& paper on biotechnology. The group commtnded the co- idiative of the Ccntre Directors in taking up system-wide issues such as biotechnology, and contributing to their substantive discussion. 10. Membership of BIOTASK The present membership of BIOTASK include represenMives of bilateral and multilateral dtvtlopmtnt agencies, TAC, the CGIAR &zeta&, and the Cc&t Direc$ors. The Cadre Directors’ represcntativ noted that the Centre Directors were likely to uominatt one oftheirmembersastheirrepresentative,ratherthaahaathtQ3airmanofthtctntreDircdors attend, as the former would give more conliuuity of meuh&ip for the group. Atan~~~mtetingithadbeenagteedthatitwouldbedeskabletohavtsomemembersfrom national agricultural research systems. The chairman of BIOTASK would invite a few NARS representatives from the Coat Group to join BIOTA!X. In addition, any member of CGIAR who has a particular interest in the work of BIOTMK, he/she is welame to atttnd the meetings as an observer. 11. Distribution of BIOTASK Documents One of the main responsiies of BIOTASK is to raise tht awartness on biotechnology within the CGIAR system. In order to achieve this, it was agreed that tht reports on the BIOTASK meetings, plus a list of tht workiug documtnts continued in the agenda papers would be given wide circulation in tht CGIAR, b&g distributed to all CGIAR members, the IARCs, Boards of Trustees and TACs. Individual documents listed in the report would be made available on request to BIOTASK. ISNAR would also be tncouragcd to circulate the BIOTMK reports to policy maktrs and research managtrs in NARS with responsibility for biotechnology. I.2 Next Mating Tht fourth meeting of BIOTASK will take plaa at ICW , in Washington in October 1990. -4- BIOTASK: CGIAR Task Force on Biotechnology Third Meting, l3zOO-l500 hrs, Sunday 20 May 1990 Locationz Hotel So&l, The Hague AGENDA 2 Adoption of agtnda of 3rd meeting, and report of 2nd meeting of BIOTASK 3. Update on Initiatives 3.1 RFLP stminar 3.2 Cassava and Biotechnology Seminar 33 Information Strvices 3.4 Inventory of Activities at IARCs 4. Planned Activitits 4.1 Seminar on biosaftty aspects 4.2 seminar on publiJprivate sector cxhboration 43 Camtry Studies (World Bank,4SNAR/Anstralian Government, the Ntthtrlands, UNDP) 5. Statement on Biottchnology by tht Ckntrt Directors 6. Othtr Issuts 6.1 Mtmbtrship of BIOTASK 62 Distribution of BIOTASK material 7. Next Mating 8. Close 

Third Meeting of the CGIAR Task Force on Biotechnology (BIOTASK), 20 May 1990, The Hague: Summary of Discussions

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Third Meeting of the CGIAR Task Force on Biotechnology (BIOTASK), 20 May 1990, The Hague: Summary of Discussions

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