Burkina Faso, commercializing biotech cotton http://www.nepadbiosafety.net

1. Partners and Stakeholders’ Coordination Meeting on Biosafety Capacity Development in Africa March 5 - 6, 2013 Alisa Hotel, Accra, Ghana Burkina Faso, commercializing biotech cottonhttp://www.nepadbiosafety.net Moussa Savadogo, ABNE moussa.savadogo@nepadbiosafety.net

2. Talking points • ABNE established in Burkina but is not alone • Status of the regulatory system • The revised law • Biotech crops in Burkina Faso • Bt cotton • HT cotton • Bt cowpea • ABNE plan for Burkina Faso • Opportunities and Challenges • Annexure : Slides sent by Africa Harvest, ISAAA

3. ABNE node established in Burkina Faso in 2010 • Host country agreement signed between the Government of Burkina Faso and the African Union NEPAD Planning and Coordinating Agency • Freedom to operate • Offices within the Ouagadougou University campus

4. In Burkina Faso, ABNE partners with other initiatives:

5. Status of the regulatory system • Legal framework in place and deemed workable by the key partners • Biosafety Law in place since 2006 . Revision completed in December 2012 • Biosafety institutions in place and functioning: • National Biosafety Agency (under the Ministry for scientific research & Innovation) • Biosafety Scientific Committee, • National Biosafety Observatory.

6. The Burkina Faso revised law • Over the last two years, the focus was on the revision of the Burkina Faso biosafety law • ABNE played significant role together with other initiatives (AATF) and product developers • ABNE represented the African and the international community voice • Unique opportunity to work with various groups of stakeholders

7. The Burkina Faso revised law • The revised law: • is improved compared to the previous law of 2006 • is far better than the draft submitted to the Parliament in 2011 and was withdrawn. • scope clearly defined : Provisions on products thereof were removed to focus the law on LMOs • Definitions of key terms well aligned with the Nagoya Kuala Lumpur supplementary protocol • Liability regime improved • Penalties revised

8. The Burkina Faso revised law Majority of stakeholders and partners are happy with this revised law Major lessons learned from the revision process : 1. Even matured regulatory systems need to be watched on and kept on track for them not to derail (The Burkina Faso system established since 2006 nearly derailed in 2011 through the revision process, with an attempt to include on the quiet some more stricter liability provisions) 2. The biosafety agencies need to be flexible and be ready any time to work with different target groups if necessary

9. Biotech crops in Burkina Faso • As of December 2012, and since 2006 a total of 28 applications have been submitted to the National Agency • 23 applications for field trials, seed production and general release • 5 application for exportation for quality control

10. Biotech crops in Burkina Faso • Bt cotton Bollguard II : Commercial cultivation since 2008. In 2012-2013 Burkina Faso cotton output soars 57.5% due to Bt cotton • Bt cowpea under CFT at the Farakoba research station (INERA & AATF) • HT cotton (RRF) under CFT • Bio-fortified sorghum: approved but yet to be on field (lack of funds) Bt cotton, Burkina Faso Bt cowpea, Burkina Faso

11. ABNE plan for Burkina Faso Priority No 1 : Short course at the Polytechnic University of Bobo-Dioulasso in October – November 2013 • The Bobo short course will serve as a pilot before we expand next year to University of Ghana, University of Makerere Preparatory discussions with the President of the Bobo University, May 2012

12. Priority No1 : Bobo Biosafety Short Course • Three (3) Burkinabe faculty staff under training in Michigan State University together with: • 2 staff from Ghana, • 2 staff from Uganda. • Curriculum / topics of the short course developed • Advert will be soon posted on ABNE website

13. ABNE plan for Burkina Faso Priority 2 : Provide support to the National Agency to : • Build capacity on post-release monitoring : • Training • Development of a national manual for inspection, monitoring, and compliance • Strengthen the national biosafety communication plan (Note : the national agency has been conducting a broad communication program for public awareness and information, for some years now)

14. Opportunities and Challenges Major opportunities: • Legal framework / environment : well balanced and attractive • Partnership: Credible and experienced partners • INERA (national Agric Research Institute) : Credible and experienced partner for investigations on biotech crops and for seed production • Cotton companies (SOFITEX) : credible partner • Farmers’ Association : Credible and well organized • Seed quality control infrastructure: Laboratory equipment and personnel well trained • Biosafety laboratory under construction

15. Opportunities and Challenges • Challenge: • language issue (no English) is not negligible. • “Various issues (language, economy & expansiveness) make Burkina Faso an expensive/difficult biotech outreach country” (Africa Harvest • The biofortified sorghum trial is approved but is put on shelve, because of lack of funds.

16. Slides from Africa Harvest and ISAAA

17. Africa Harvest in Burkina Faso

18. Implementation Plan 2013 CLI Africa Outreach Strategy Africa Harvest

19. Background • AH plan aligned with CLI 2013 Africa Biotech Outreach Strategy (presented to PBSC in December 2012) • The Implementation Plan for four (4) countries in 2013 & beyond • Consolidating, deepening activities in Kenya & Burkina Faso • New partnerships & expansion: Ghana • Continued involvement in Uganda

20. AH Value-Addition: TWO areas/..1 • African Regulatory Frameworks & Risk Assessment • Through the Africa Biofortified Sorghum (ABS) Project, Africa Harvest has practical experience: SA: Successful GH permit & experiment & Second season CFT KE & NG • Full-time Biosafety and Regulatory Affairs Director to be available to CLI project • HQ in Nairobi & on-going project & relationships in BF

21. AH Value-Addition TWO areas/..2 #2: General biotech, Biosafety & Regulatory Communication • Institutional & personal credibility of CEO, Dr. Florence Wambugu • Implemented CLI project over 10 years • Blend of expertise that brings credibility to scientists, policymakers and regulators • Excellent, hands-on management of ABS communications recognized by BMGF & others

22. Burkina Faso • Various issues (language, economy & expansiveness) make Burkina Faso an expensive/difficult biotech outreach country • Africa Harvest strategy is to deepen the relationship with INERA through institutional capacity building in communication & Biosafety/regulatory issues

23. Proposed Action: • BF/INERA-specific support for general outreach materials, Media Manual & Distribution • Stewardship workshop: AH/CLI on CFTs, targeted at scientists and communicators • Online Newsletters

24. ISAAA in Burkina Faso

25. ISAAA work in Burkina Faso 7th March 2013

26. Work with RECOAB (MOU) • Publishing RECOAB News :Quarterly newsletter distributed to West African subscribers • Coordination of the ISAAA annual tour • Mailing lists and news sourcing from West Africa

27. Work with Burkina Biotech Association (MOU) • Annual launches of the ISAAA Global report on commercialized biotech crops • Outreach to policy makers • Publishing Biotech News quarterly newsletter • Enhancing biotech/science communication through collaborative training workshop for journalists, scientists and farmers.