www.checkbiotech.org ; www.raupp.info ; www.czu.cz

The Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock (MINFAL) has intensified its
efforts to get approval for two varieties of the locally developed bio-tech
(Bt) cotton from the Ministry of Environment as the country is expected to
officially introduce Bt crops in the country this year, a senior government
official told, February 2007 by Fida Hussain.

Independent agricultural experts, however, said that the concerned
government authorities were proceeding slowly in introducing the new
technology in farming as the regional countries including China and India
were going well ahead of Pakistan.

An official admitted that the implementation process is very slow. However,
he said that introduction of biotech crops was not the responsibility on a
single government entity. He said that that currently the MINFAL is
endeavouring to approve the two varieties of cotton from the Ministry of
Environment?s National Biosafety Committee (NBC).

The official, however, refused to disclose the actual names of the cotton
varieties of locally developed Bt cotton as the same sown in Pakistan
through informal import by the private sector is yet to be officially
approved by the concerned ministry.

According to Global Agriculture Information Network (GAIN) report Pakistan
has funded more than Rs 1 billion on research & development in biotechnology
through various ministries and Higher Education Commission (HEC). Out of 28
centres claiming to be involved in biotechnology, only a few (three to five)
are capable of doing DNA recombination research of biotech or genetically
modified crops. According to the report, Pakistan has signed the Biosafety
Protocol but it has not yet been ratified.

It is expected that within one to two years, genetically modified crops will
be authorized to be grown in Pakistan and respond to the strong demand in
the farming community to use genetically modified technology.

Pakistan, at present, is producing small quantities of a variety of biotech
crops, but none have been commercialised despite the issuance of National
Biosafety Guidelines in April 2005. The National Institute for Biotechnology
and Genetic Engineering (NIBGE) has submitted an application to the NBC for
the approval of genetically modified cotton but approval is pending.

A directorate has been established in the Ministry of Environment with the
necessary expertise to monitor and evaluate incoming proposals. A number of
in-vitro strains of locally developed cotton Biotech research on indigenous
crops used locally, like potato, chillies, peppers and melons, is also
underway. Pakistan has addressed Intellectual Property Rights by forming an
independent body, the Intellectual Property Organization Pakistan (IPOP).
This agency has streamlined access to the organisation by having one point
of entry. In the past the Ministry of Commerce managed ?trademarks,? the
Ministry of Education managed ?copyrights? and the Ministry of Industries
was responsible for ?patents.?

According to GAIN?s report, Pakistan is importing genetically modified
soybeans, soybean oil and other processed food products from the United
States and other countries. After the establishment of Plant Breeder Rights
the GMO seeds coming from the U.S. through multinational seed companies like
Pioneer, Dupont and Monsanto will find a market in Pakistan, said the
report.

Pakistan?s policy at the national level is envisioned to harness the
potential of biotechnology as a key contributor to the development of the
agricultural sector. The implementation and monitoring mechanisms of the
proposed guidelines are built upon on a three-tier system composed of the
National Biosafety Committee (NBC); a Technical Advisory Committee (TAC);
and the Institutional Biosafety Committees (IBC) at the level of the
distinct organizations, said the official.

The official said that cotton is the priority area for Biotech research, as
its production does not fall with the food chain system. The official said
that at the first stage, the government had delayed the promulgation of
Biosafety Act, when this was done in 2005, then NBC had not held meeting for
one year. That was why the MINFAL had sought the intervention of the Prime
Minister. On the intervention of the Prime Minister, the meetings of the NBC
were held later in 2006, the official said.

[www.dailytimes.com.pk]