1 / 22

Africa BIC Report 2012

Africa BIC Report 2012. Dr. Margaret Karembu Director, ISAAA AfriCenter Venue: Manila- Philippines. The AfriC enter Team. Outline. Knowledge sharing Science communication Strategic alliances Opportunities Challenges Our focus in 2013. Knowledge Sharing.

joshua
Download Presentation

Africa BIC Report 2012

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Africa BIC Report 2012 Dr. Margaret Karembu Director, ISAAA AfriCenter Venue: Manila- Philippines

  2. The AfriCenter Team

  3. Outline • Knowledge sharing • Science communication • Strategic alliances • Opportunities • Challenges • Our focus in 2013

  4. Knowledge Sharing • Africa launch of BRIEF 43 and translations • Contributions to Crop Biotech updates and media liaison • Issue management • Labeling regulations of GM food • Ban on imports of GM crops • French rat study

  5. Africa Launch of Brief 43

  6. Pictorials: Launch of Brief 43 Ethiopia Kenya Ghana Comoros Islands

  7. Clive Visit to Africa Dr. C. James in Africa with Media in Kenya • Meeting held in April 2012 • Meeting with media, policy makers, OFAB, scientists (Kenya, Uganda, Egypt) • Impact: Great boost to media impressions in Africa With Kenyan parliamentarians Engaging with Egypt partners With Ugandan minister & parliamentarians BioVision: Engaging with speakers With media

  8. Contributions to CBU • 6,891 Names contributed to CBU • 56 Articles contributed Challenge: • Frequent failures in receiving the CBU, even by the BIC staff. Restoration done by KC but problem recur.

  9. Biotech Fashion show Hosted by National Council for Science and Technology (NCST) Participants: • Students from public universities & local fashion and design colleges Impact • The event to be annual (Challenge: funding??)

  10. Issue management • AfriCenter - frequently called upon to respond to emerging issues that pose a threat the gains already achieved in biotech within the continent. Issues dealt with in 2012 included • Seralinistudy • Ban on GM imports

  11. Issue management How we have responded: • Staff writing articles in newspapers • Developing policy/issue briefs • Holding one to one meetings with relevant policy makers • Inviting scientists and other authoritative voices to speak about the issues at OFAB • Remain in touch with other partners to strategize Article by Jonathan Odhong’ ISAAA AfriCenter

  12. Issue management Impact • ISAAA remains an authoritative voice on matters Agri-biotech in Africa, • ISAAA issue brief on Seralini study quoted as the reference document in Parliament to question the Minister of Health on her decision to ban GMOs

  13. Annual study tour to Burkina Faso • ‘Seeing is believing’ tour to Burkina Faso for scientists, regulators, policy makers, journalists • Held in October 2012.

  14. Trainings on biosafety communication and issues management conducted for government public communication officers Training on communicating biosafety and regulation of GMOs done for public health officers Science Communication

  15. Strategic alliances • With AATF and PBS - OFAB Kenya Forum • Government - NCST, NBA, BioAWARE, MOA (Kenya), UNCST (Uganda), NABDA (Nigeria), BBA and RECOAB (Burkina Faso) • With PBS: Supporting implementation of regulatory system • Industry – Cereal Millers Association • Academies of Science - Kenya Academy of Sciences • Universities

  16. OFAB Kenya

  17. Strategic Alliances OFAB Kenya • 3 Multidisciplinary working groups-Increased outreach, inclusiveness of various players and impact • Secretariat strengthened-Permanent liaison officer • Strategic plan-10 years • Work plan for 3 years-BMGF

  18. Opportunities • AfriCenter solicited to provide IEC materials by the National Council for Science and Technologyto assist the taskforce looking into the GM ban in Kenya with information that may lead to lifting of the ban • Neighboring countries to Burkina Faso like Ghana are likely to embark on commercialization of Bt cotton • Favorable biosafety law recently adopted in Burkina Faso likely to influence other countries in the ECOWAS region - Focus for ISAAA (with ABNE and partners: Benin &Togo • Biosafety law tabled in Uganda

  19. Challenges • Delay in lifting the ban on imports of GMO foods in Kenya as the current parliament has closed business until April 2013 may extend further (politics) • Labeling regulations of GM foods still being discussed • GM cotton research in Uganda has stalled due to differences in choice of local varieties for transformation • Political situation in Mali has not yet settled; the BIC work in the country has not yet been possible • Policy makers frequent change of positions/ not focused on issues(votes) • Perceptions prevail against scientific evidence even with the learned • ‘Uncommitted’ scientists

  20. Our Focus in 2013 • Spearhead lifting of ban on importation of GM foods in Kenya • Coordinate Bt Cotton Task Force Activities to achieve commercialization in Kenya • Broaden collaboration with Academia, youth and Scientific community • Enhance continued biotech advancement in the region through collaboration with partners (Uganda biosafety bill…) • Targeted activities towards GM commercialization in Ghana • Targeted activities towards lifting GMO moratorium in Benin

  21. Our Focus in 2013 • Booklet for policy makers/Availability of local expertize: Giving a human face to the Biotechnology dialogue • Policy handbook for policy makers-ongoing distribution, to continue with new government in Kenya

  22. Thank You

More Related