Download Josette Lewis

Putting Biotechnology into
Practice in International
Development
Josette Lewis, Ph.D.
USAID
Key Challenges
• Lack of public funding for biotech research
• Need to build system from the laboratory to
the farmer’s field
• Lack of experience in the public sector
• Complex sociopolitical environment
Scientific
Training
Technology
Transfer
Regulatory
Framework
Technology
Biosafety
IPR
Food & Env.
Safety
PVP/IPR
Policy
$
R&D
Infrastructure
Laboratory
Facilities
BIOTECHNOLOGY
Economic Growth
Food Security
Improved Nutrition
Varietal
Release
Seed
Industry
Agri-industry
Outreach
Market
Public Outreach
Farmers
Extension
Technology Development
• Asia
egg plant*
tomatoes
potatoes
papaya
groundnut
chickpea*
rice
• Africa
cowpea
banana
animal vaccines*
cassava
sweet potato* potato*
• US universities, AATF, national and African
regional organizations
Lessons Learned
• Research versus Product Development
– tackle big problems - set scope too widely?
– global research not likely to be picked up
locally to develop products
– define specific market (variety, value of trait to
farmer, how to deliver)
– need to manage & invest in linkages throughout
process
Lessons Learned
• Little experience in public sector
– 209 events: 44 in confined field trails
22 in large scale field trails (China)
only 7 countries have 5 trials
– low # of events: 54 in Africa in 20 crops
111 in Asia in 30 crops
30 in Latin America in 12 crops
– public crops commercialized: papaya in US and
several in China
Key Challenges
• Lack of public funding for biotech research
• Need to build system from the laboratory to
the farmer’s field
• Lack of experience in the public sector
• Sociopolitical context
Challenge: Sociopolitical Context
“I’d rather die than eat something toxic.”
“Genetic modification is just a weapon to
bring Indian agriculture under the
domination of American corporations.”
“It was my job to ensure we weren’t accused
of over hastiness [in GM approvals].”
Not all Bad News: Successes
• Bt cotton shows that small farmers will
benefit from biotechnology
• Field trials in developing countries
• Regulatory challenge: educating public
researchers with assistance from industry
• Science continues to expand the
opportunities