Governments should accept and commit themselves to the development of biotechnology.
In fact, contrary to developed countries where biotechnology research is controlled by the~rivate sector (Multinational corporations) , Govemments will have to playa very important role in the transfer of biotechnology in Africa.
Furthermore, if biotechnology in Africa is to be geared to the improvement of agricultural productivity at the sm.II farmers' level, this could be done only by the public sector.
Also most biotechnologies in developed countries are oriented to the production of substitutes to export commodities of the developing countries, including those of Africa.
Solving the food crisis in Africa should be one of the main objectives of biotechnology transfer. This can be done only through government intervention. In short, Governments should be willing and committed to the development of
18 ThedemandInAfrica for Biotechnology forfoodproduction: a keynote address byDr.Edroma, Eric L, ABN/CSTD Workshopon Biotechnology forfoodproduction In dlY areas, Dakar, Senegal, 8-10 October1990.
19 RD., CAPE, 1986. FutureprospectsInbiotechnology: a challenge to US leadership. In Biotechnology InSodely:Private Initiatives and Public Oversight, ed. J.G. Perpich, PergamonPress, NewYork.
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biotechnology so that appropriate supportive inputs can be provided to necessary biotechnology programmes to be prepared.
01)
Formulation of appropriate policy:It is necessary for each African country to determine its priorities with a view to identifying its economic objectives and drawing maximum advantage of available resources.
In this regard measures should be taken to formulate an appropriate policy framework for biotechnology. Such framework should indude:
the setting up of broad objectives and goals of the national biotechnology programme and broad policy for managing access to relevant biotechnology;
the definition of the relative roles of public and private sectors in research and development, commercialization, as well as policy regarding intellectual property rights:
the introduction of inventor certificates in order to maintain the nature of biotechnology-based innovations as a public service and recognition of researchers;
the establishment of guidelines for biotechnology research and development with due attention to safety and environmental consideration;
the establishment of the organization machinery to implement the national biotechnology programme.
(III) The Identification of priorities:
Research priorities in biotechnology are currently determined by commercial prospects.
Biotechnology can be fruitfully employed to develop varieties which require lower inputs of agre<hemicals such as fertilizers, pesticides that would be more appropriate for millions of small and marginal farmers in Africa.
But instead of developing such varieties, seedsresistantto proprietary pesticides, havebeen developed hence making them more dependent on chemicals. These trends, therefore, suggest that the pro-poor potential of biotechnology may notbeused.
African countries should, therefore, identify thrust areas and priorities,and specific well defined research targets in view their development objectives, available resources, capability and technological feasibility. In short term, African countries should concentrate on building
capabilities in well established, proven and relatively simpler techniques, mainly those leading to increased agricultural productivity through tissue culture, or increased efficiency in food processing.
Since they are mostly poor agrarian economies, eradication of poverty, hunger and malnutrition are. the most pressing problems of African countries. Therefore,agriculture,food and bicrenergy based rural industrialisation would appear to bemost promising areas of application of biotechnology.
In African countries, priorities in biotechnology programmes should attach importance to the development of low input sustainable farming systems to benefit marginal and small farmers. These farmers operate generallyat the subsistence leveland are naturally risk-averse. However, it is likely that the acceptance of new varietieswill greatly improve, if they are developed in cooperation with . local farmers, using their knowledge to improve local farming systems.
(iv)Human resources development:
One of the most serious constraints hindering development of biotechnology is the complexity of the discipline. Sub-Saharan African is in acute shortage of trained and experienced endogenousmanpower. This'region may have no more than 400 biotechnology researchers and technicians widely scattered,and far less in the dry zones. This total compares poorly with USA with 23,0090 Japan with 3,400, and Latin America with 1,900 .
African Governments should as a matter of urgency start multidisciplinary training programmes and integral approach for raising the level of the badly needed biotechnology researchers and technicians at all levels.
Training of scientific and technical manpower is the most crucial element of a strategy to build local capacity. In the immediate future, African countries should train enough biotechnologists abroad while taking action to create strong faculties of well qualified experts in interrelated disciplines that constitute biotechnology in local universities.
In African countries the diffusion of research results hasoften
been
a bottleneck in the adoption of new technologies. In the case of biotechnologies care must be taken to ensure speedy and effective diffusion of technologies.This is possible through the training of extension
20 Pleaserefer topage9ofDr.EOROMA·s "A keynoteAddress",footnote~.
workers, who will form the linkages between biotechnology programmesand rural development agencies.
In addition, because of the rapid progress in biotechnology, access to basic scientific information isneeded. But, given the trade secrecy of biotechnologies by multinationals, the flow of this information through usualchannels will remain veryrestricted. Therefore, alternative sources of information through network systems, joint venture programmes, have to be developed.
There is an urgent demand for establishing and equipping national Universities and Research Institutes for development and promotion of biotechnology. Thedegree and graduate courses must be structured and specialist training developed. This inevitably requires direct involvement of the public and private sectors and
the
co-operation with foreign Corporations and International Agencies. The training should be introduced right at the undergraduate levelas part of classical biological disciplines (such as microbiology, biochemistry, physiology, genetics, etc) and pursued aggressively in depth at the postgraduate level.Regional and International cooperation is needed for promoting biotechnology transfer as a means for realising its potential in reversing the current pathetic situation of malnutrition, hunger, famine, diseases, poverty and death. The continent must produce a strong team of geneticists, biochemists, physiologists, microbiologists, industrial chemist, biotechnical or process engineers, plant and animal breeders, laboratory technicians, and a wide range of other medium and high~evel specialist to maintain the equipment of the facilities.
Establishment of biotechnological Centres and research teams inevitably requires heavy investment and availabilityof foreign capital, which national governments may not afford readily.
Through International cooperation and support and encouragementof twinning of high education and research institutions, biotechnological Centres can be established and maintained, joint advanced training programmes and investigations undertaken, International Biotechnology Network established biotechnology database and information exchange services developed, and advice in formulating national policies and programmes in biotechnology provided to governments. The international cooperation in biotechnology with UNESCO, FAO, WHO, UNIDO and other interested Agencies should be renewed and strengthened.
2. strengthening International co-operation:
Regional and international cooperation is certainly one of the means of promoting
biotechnology transfer to Africa. Regional and international cooperations can in fact be set up to study common problems, carry out joint research projects and obtain results applicable to countries within a region or subregion.
Such cooperation has the advantage of involving industrialized and developing countries within the framework of bilateral or multilateral agreements, as well as private institutions including multinationals. Joint ventures and co-financing of projects by public or private nationals and international institutions are better ways of sharing technological know-how.
Asfar as African countries are concerned, while making great efforts to train experienced scientists and highly qualified engineers, they would in the short run depend on licensing inventions and collaboration with multinationals until they are able to build up their own centres and research teams.
In fact, a fruitful cooperation needs to be established between African and industrialized countries to mitigate the effects of technical secret and harsh competition for the appropriation of biotechnologies through patents and exclusive exploitation rights. Cooperation with reciprocal benefits will no doubt contribute to an equitable distribution of returns from the application of biotechnologies.
Nonetheless, cooperation in the field of biotechnology, among African countries is very important since it enables :
the undertaking of research programmes of common interest jointly to avoid duplication and save scarce resources;
the pooling of resources and capabilities, which may enable African countries to undertake projects they might not be able to do individually;
Given the initial high
cost
of investment needed for infrastructural facilities, African countries will stand to gain by pooling their resources to create regional or subregional research and/or training centres rather thall embarking on the establishment of poorly equipped and inefficient national institutions. The latter should be strengthenedto
carryout adaptive research using the results of the former.CONCLUSION
Although Africa's food crisis isafflicted with problems associated with traditional agriculture practices essentially characterized by colonial, political, social. structural, economical, technical and environmental factors, the cardinal issue facing african policy-makers and biological