Annex 1 List of Participants - OFAB

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meetings, while ISAAA with its vast experience in biotechnology knowledge-sharing and partnerships’ management will coordinate OFAB activities. He introduced the OFAB Programming Committee members who include; 1. Dr Margaret Karembu - ISAAA - Chair 2. Mrs. Nancy Muchiri - AATF 3. Dr. Fred Kanampiu - CIMMYT 4. Dr Eucharia Kenya - Kenyatta University 5. Dr Simon Gichuki - KARI Biotech 6. Dr. Dan Kiambi - ICRISAT 7. Dr Wilson Songa - MOA Dr. Bokanga also introduced the guest speaker to the participants. He said “T.J. Higgins is the Deputy Chief of CSIRO’s (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization) Division of Plant Industry based in Canberra, Australia. Dr Higgins has a scientific background in agriculture (from Dublin, Ireland) and Plant Physiology (from University of California, Davis). His current operations are in biotechnology where he focuses on legumes such as cowpea, peas, lupine and chickpeas. He is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Sciences.” He said the project goal was to facilitate the development, distribution and adoption of appropriate technologies that would substantially increase cowpea productivity and utilisation in sub-Saharan Africa. He informed the participants that AATF’s role was to negotiate access to the Cry1 ab gene, which confers resistance to the Maruca pod borer, provide liability protection to the technology provider, ensure high quality seed production and availability, license improved seed and technology distribution in Africa and help to develop cowpea markets. The project partners include Network for the Genetic Improvement of Cowpea for Africa (NGICA), International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Monsanto Company, The Kirkhouse Trust, National Agricultural Research systems (NARS) in West Africa, and CSIRO-Plant Industry, Australia. 6
Summary of presentation Genetic transformation of cowpea for insect resistant germplasm: Opportunities and Challenges By Dr. T.J Higgins, lead researcher in the Cowpea transformation project in Africa. Dr. T.J Higgins, the lead researcher in the Cowpea transformation project in Africa, started his presentation by informing the participants now happy he was back in Kenya as he had been in the country before as a tourist. He thanked AATF for giving him the opportunity to share with various stakeholders, the findings of the cow pea transformation project in Africa. Dr. T.J Higgins gave an insight on modern biotechnology explaining aspects of cloning, gene technology (genetic modification, GM), molecular markers and cloning of GM animals. He emphasized the importance of the gene technology since it laid the foundation for the success of Bt cotton in Australia. He gave highlights on biotechnology traits in Australian cotton in the short to medium term and gave details of the source of the gene, chronology of additional insects and herbicides from 1996. He said that “in the next 10 years many crops will come up due to conventional breeding programs in many research institutions. A farmer would make USD 350 per hectare which may not appear highly profitable but he would have cut on pest management practices.” Dr. Higgins gave an overview of regulatory control of GM crops in Australia. He said that during research and development, environmental and human safety checks are put in place through Institutional Biosafety Committee, Office of the Gene Technology Regulator and other relevant bodies before commercial release. He said that in Australia, the release of GM crops is faced with public awareness and acceptance issues. Regular subjects of controversy include; information about the technology, human safety, environmental safety, sustainability, informative labeling, control of food chain by multi-nationals and market access. He said the economic impact of GM crops from 1996-2004 was USD 27 billion. In 2005, it was USD 5.25 and in 2006 it was estimated at 5.5. He reiterated that the environmental impact of GM crops between 1996 and 2004 showed a reduction of 172,500 tones of active pesticide ingredients that translates to a 14% reduction in environmental impact. 7
Page 1 and 2: And Report of the Fifth Open Forum
Page 3 and 4: BACKGROUND The Open Forum on Agricu
Page 5: Overview Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata
Page 9 and 10: A: Dr. Higgins said that it would t
Page 11 and 12: Annex 1 List of Participants No. Na

Annex 1 List of Participants - OFAB

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