75 th OFAB: 27 th March 2014 Dr . Roy B. Mugiira

1. THE SHIFTING EUROPEAN PERSPECTIVE TOWARDS CROP GENETIC MODIFICATION TECHNOLOGY: A NEW APPROACH TO BIOSAFETY REGULATION FOR EUROPE AND AFRICA 75th OFAB: 27th March 2014 Dr. Roy B. Mugiira

2. Objective and Outline • Objectives: • To present the perspectives from the Agricultural Biotechnology Expert Workshop on ‘Promoting Agricultural Biotechnology for Sustainable Development in Africa’ held on 25th-26th February 2014 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; • To illustrate the shifting EU perspective on policy and regulation of crop GM technology; • To point at opportunities for collaboration between African and European institutions in Agric-Biotechnology research and product development; • Outline: • The Institutions; • Messages from Selected Key Note Addresses;

3. The Institutions 10022014_Biotech-Conf_Provisional Programme - 25_26 Feb2014.pdf

4. Messages from Selected Key Note Addresses • Agricultural biotechnology in Europe and Africa by Professor Anne Glover CBE, Chief Scientific Adviser to the President of the European Commission; • Key messages from the Planting the Future (PTF) report for Europe – GM crops and NPBTs by Torbjörn Fagerström (Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences) and Joachim Schiemann, (Julius Kühn Institute) with input from Ian Crute, (Agricult. & Horticul. Dev. Board, UK) and Robin Fears, (EASAC, Biosciences Program Secretary); • Transfer of Golden Rice to African Countries byAdrian C. Dubock PhD, Executive Secretary, Golden Rice Humanitarian Board and Golden Rice Project Manager; • Social and Economic Impacts of GM Crops: A Global Overview byMatinQaim, Georg-August-University of Göttingen, Germany

5. Given the size of the demographic challenge, we cannot afford not to use all the technologies that are in our toolbox • Conventional breeding • Reverse breeding / doubled haploids • Molecular breeding / marker assisted selection • Tissue culture / micropropagation • Genetic modification Source: Anne Glover, Chief Scientific Adviser to the President of the European Commission

6. Are GMOs safe? "The main conclusion to be drawn from the efforts of more than 130 research projects, covering a period of more than 25 years of research, and involving more than 500 independent research groups, is that biotechnology, and in particular GMOs, are not per se more risky than e.g. conventional plant breeding technologies." (Page 16) Source: Anne Glover, Chief Scientific Adviser to the President of the European Commission

7. Are GMOs safe? "There is no validated evidence that GM crops have greater adverse impact on health and the environment than any other technology used in plant breeding. There is compelling evidence that GM crops can contribute to sustainable development goals with benefits to farmers, consumers, the environment and the economy." (Page 2) Source: Anne Glover, Chief Scientific Adviser to the President of the European Commission

8. Approval process of GMOs in the EU Due to political intervention, in the EU, it can take more than 10 years to approve a GMO – small companies are not able to afford this Source: Anne Glover, Chief Scientific Adviser to the President of the European Commission

9. Even big companies are no longer able to afford it Source: Anne Glover, Chief Scientific Adviser to the President of the European Commission

10. What does all of this mean for Africa? • Africa is still undecided: • Africa should tap on the increasing well educated youthful human resource to exploit the exiting future of Biotech. • Africa should look around for the best technologies and apply them. Seek for a cool 21st century regulatory system for Africa to deliver what Africa needs. Get off the hook of the EU regulatory system. Source: Anne Glover, Chief Scientific Adviser to the President of the European Commission

11. Key messages from the Planting the Future (PTF) report for Europe – GM crops and NPBTs EASAC_Addis Schiemann.pdf Torbjörn Fagerström (Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences) and Joachim Schiemann, (Julius Kühn Institute) with input from Ian Crute, (Agricult. & Horticul. Dev. Board, UK) and Robin Fears, (EASAC, Biosciences Program Secretary);

12. Transfer of Golden Rice to African Countries Dubock Addis.pdf Adrian C DubockPhD Executive Secretary, Golden Rice Humanitarian Board Golden Rice Project Manager

13. Economic and Social Impacts of GM Crops: A Global Overview MatinQaimGeorg-August-University of Göttingen, German Key Note 2 Prof. Martin Qaim_NASAC_2014.pdf

14. Opportunities for Europe and Africa Collaboration in Agric-Biotech R&D • Horizon 2020 is the biggest EU Research and Innovation programme ever with nearly €80 billion of funding available over 7 years (2014 to 2020) – in addition to the private investment that this money will attract. It promises more breakthroughs, discoveries and world-firsts by taking great ideas from the lab to the market. This part of the programme covers different areas : • Nanotechnologies • Advanced materials • Advanced manufacturing and processing • Biotechnology

15. Opportunities Cont’ FP7 is 7thFramework Programme for Research and Technological Development • The programme has a total budget of over € 50 billion. CAASTNET PLUS Science, Technology and Innovation Cooperation between Sub-Saharan Africa and Europe

16. Opportunities Cont’ • ERAfrica is a new European Union (EU) project aimed at promoting a unified European approach to collaborating with Africa in the field of science and technology research for innovation and sustainable development. ERAfrica forms part of the 7th Framework Programme suite of European research initiatives.

17. Opportunities Cont’ • ACP-EU EDU-LINK is financed by the European Union and Implemented by the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States Secretariat, the programme supports cooperative projects between Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in the ACP Group of States, the EU Member States and other eligible countries. • Example: Food Security and Biotechnology in Africa Project; • Implemented by the University of Eldoret (Kenya) and other Universities in Africa and Europe • Develop a curriculum for the Post Graduate studies in Biotechnology in Agriculture. • Objective: to increase the expertise of graduates to deliver the research knowledge dissemination mandate of the Universities for use of biotechnology in contributing to food security in Africa.