Articles in the September 18, 2009 Issue of Crop Biotech Update

NEWS Global • ISAAA Mourns the Loss and Pays Tribute to its Founding Patron, Nobel Peace Laureate Norman Borlaug, 1914 - 2009  • UN Report: World Falls Short on Pledges to Attain MDG Goals  Africa • Degree Course on Biotech and Biosafety Launched at Kenya's Moi University  • Empowering the Seed Sector in Africa  • Media Coverage of Biotech in Kenya Inadequate  • FAO, World Bank Give Helping Hand to Zimbabwean Farmers  Americas • New Pest Found in Ohio Soybeans  • Insecticide-Free Control of Soybean Aphids  • Brazil Approves New GM Corn Varieties  • Scientists Find Evidence of Casuarina Hybrids  • Pioneer H-Bred, Asoyia Expand Ultra Low Linolenic Soybean Agreement  Asia and the Pacific • Chinese Research to Benefit Pakistan's Agriculture Sector  • Hybrid Rice Training Center Launched in China  • Origin Agritech Gets Glyphosate Gene Deal  Europe • BCPC Welcomes New BBSRC Strategic Plan  • GMO Crops Can Help Climate and Environment  • Halophytic Micro-algae: New Source of Biofuel  • CIRAD To Complete Banana Genomic Sequence  • Unapproved GM Linseed Found in Germany  Research • Disabling Instead of Adding: A Novel Way of Breeding Disease-Resistant Plants  • Scientists Closer to Drug-Free Cannabis Plants  • Chlorophyll Breakdown Products as a Tool for Studying Plant Cellular Processes  Announcements • GCARD- E-consultations  • Interdrought III Conference in China  • New Journal: GM Crops  Document Reminders • US Wheat Growers Orgs Publish The Case for Biotech Wheat

Empowering the Seed Sector in Africa

Urgent government measures and increased public and private investment in the seed sector are required for the long term if agriculture is to meet the challenge of food security in the context of population growth and climate change. This was the declaration of the Second World Seed Conference held at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Headquarters in Rome last September 8-10, 2009.

Obongo Nyachae, the CEO of the Seed Traders Association of Kenya (STAK), shared that one key area that touched on Africa (and other developing countries) was on the need for international organizations such as FAO, Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, International Union for Protection of New Varieties of Plants, International Seed Testing Association and International Seed Federation to support national seed development initiatives to enable farmers access to improved and quality seed. In addition, seed for relief purposes should be sourced through national seed associations, where they exist, and that priority should be given to improved seed rather than investing in Quality Declared Seed systems even where national legislation exists that fully supports development of formal seed supply systems.

Conference participants included policy makers, government officials, breeding companies, breeders associations, stakeholders (certification agencies, seed analysts, seed traders, technology companies, and academic institutions), farmers' organizations, consumer organizations and international breeding and seed research centers.

For more information, contact stak@stak.or.ke To download the press release on the World Seed Conference, visit http://www.worldseedconference.org

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This article is part of the Crop Biotech Update, a weekly summary of world developments in agri-biotech for developing countries, produced by the Global Knowledge Center on Crop Biotechnology, International Service for the Aquisition of Agri-Biotech Applications SEAsiaCenter (ISAAA)

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