ISAAA's Network Meeting Strengthens Global Biotech Information Sharing

ISAAA's Network of Biotechnology Information Centers (BICs) held its 15^th Annual Meeting at the Safari Park Hotel in Nairobi, Kenya, on April 15-16, 2015. The meeting brought together 29 member representatives from 10 countries in Burkina Faso, East and Central Africa, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Pakistan, Philippines, and Uganda.

ISAAA Global Coordinator and SEAsiaCenter Director Dr. Randy A. Hautea welcomed the participants and encouraged everyone to highlight various opportunities for sustainability to make the organization stronger and more dynamic, while ISAAA KC Director Dr. Mariechel J. Navarro presented the KC's successes through its significantly increased media and online reach, new publications, and farmer adoption research. Likewise, the BICs presented their signature activities in 2014. Senior Assistant Director of Research at the State Department of Science and Technology of Kenya Dr. Roy B. Mugiira praised ISAAA on the accomplishment and impact of the network in disseminating science-based biotechnology information. He also provided an overview of agricultural biotechnology and biosafety research, policies, education and communication initiatives, and public awareness in East and Central African countries.

ISAAA Chair Dr. Paul S. Teng and Senior Program Officer Dr. Rhodora R. Aldemita facilitated workshops and planning sessions on benchmarking the network's activities, amplifying biotech messages, and building sustainability on funding. The meeting also brought together for the first time members of the three centers (AmeriCenter, AfriCenter, SEAsiaCenter) and Global Knowledge Center (KC) on Crop Biotechnology and discussed how ISAAA can efficiently respond and share global information on biotechnology to enable an accepting environment for the advancement of crop biotechnology in their respective countries.

For details, contact Sophie Mercado of SEARCA BIC at smm@searca.org