Business Potential for Agricultural Biotechnology - Asian Productivity ...

Business Potential for Agricultural Biotechnology Products
• A comprehensive and integrated view should be developed of r-DNA- and non r-DNAbased
applications of biotechnology with other technological components required for
agriculture as a whole.
• Use of conventional biotechnologies (e.g., biofertilizers, biopesticides, bioremediation
technologies, molecular assisted grading, plant tissue culture, etc.) should continue to be
encouraged and supported. A precautionary yet promotional approach should be adopted
in employing transgenic R&D activities, based on technological feasibility, socio-economic
considerations, and promotion of trade.
• Public funding should be avoided for research in areas of low priority or those that could
reduce employment and impinge upon the livelihood of rural families.
• Regulatory requirement in compliance with the Cartagena Protocol, other international
treaties and protocols on biosafety, germplasm exchange, and access, and the guiding
principles of codex alimentarius will be implemented through an interministerial consultative
process.
• Transgenic plants should not be commercialized in crops or commodities where international
trade may be affected. However, their use may be allowed for the generation of
proof of principle, strictly for R&D, where alternate systems are not available or not
suitable.
• In the long-term perspective, basic research for development of low-volume, high-value
secondary and tertiary products through the enabling technologies of genomics, proteomics,
engineering of metabolic pathways, RNAi, host pathogen interaction, and others
should be encouraged. Research and support of biosafety regulations would need support.
• It is proposed to do away with large-scale field testing of released transgenic events and
make it compliant with agronomic test requirements.
REFERENCES
National Biotechnology Development Strategy by Department of Biotechnology, Government of
India (www.dbtindia.nic.in).
DSIR (Dept. of Scientific and Industrial Research), Government of India, Reports.
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