Egyptian Minister Encourage New Innovations in Agriculture

In a symposium featuring the ISAAA Brief 46: Global Status of Commercialized Biotech/GM Crops 2013 in Egypt, Prof. Raamzy Stino, Minister of State for Scientific Research discussed the ministry's efforts to support scientific researches and new innovations in the field of agriculture to face the challenges of drought and food shortage. The new innovations include the use of modern agricultural technology such as biotechnology, contained in the ISAAA Briefs, discussed and highlighted by Prof. Naglaa Abdallah, director of Egypt Biotech Information Center.

The event held on on 23 February 2014 at the National Research Center, Egypt was participated in by more than 500 members of the academe, journalists and other stakeholders and was viewed live through three television stations. It was organized by the Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation, Ministry of State for Scientific Research, the Ministry of State for Environment, and the Cairo University. Other prominent speakers include Prof. Ezz Abustate, Vice President of Cairo University, who thanked the Egypt Biotechnology Center (EBIC) for the role it plays in disseminating correct information on biotech crops. Talks on status of transgenic wheat, cotton, and maize which are under field trials, as well as environmental safety were discussed by prominent scientists of Cairo University.

For details of the symposium, contact Dr. Naglaa Abdallah, director of Egypt BIC at naglaa_a@hotmail.com