Africa's Need for Participatory Approach in Advancing Biotech

Biotechnology benefits will be experienced in Africa through a participatory approach, according to Belinda Clarke of Norwich Research Park Science, UK. In her article published at the Journal of Commercial Biotechnology, she explained that such approach involves consultation and involvement from all stakeholders. This will eventually lead to more focused and community-driven solutions to problems.

"The participatory approach also presents new challenges in terms of changing the mind-sets of researchers, requiring them to consider all stakeholders as valid participants in the programme. The researcher becomes more of a facilitator, empowering the whole community (particularly its most marginalized members) to take ownership of the project," Clarke explains.

Clarke presented case studies from Africa where organizations such as Biotechnology Trust Africa and ISAAA AfriCenter applied participatory approach in addressing agricultural constraints. The case studies showed that carefully planned and properly supported participatory programmes can be instrumental in adoption of new technologies such as biotechnology in developing countries.

Get a copy of the paper at http://commercialbiotechnology.com/article/view/5.