SABIMA Stewardship Awareness Creation Workshop in Ghana

More than 80 participants attended a 3-day workshop on biotechnology, biosafety and stewardship awareness creation held on September 21 to 23, 2010 in Accra, Ghana. Participants included policy makers, religious groups, teachers, NGOs, farmer groups, NARS, universities and ministry department and Agencies (MDAs). The workshop was organized to educate participants on biotechnology and biosafety particularly principles of stewardship to ensure the technology's safe application.

The workshop was organized under the auspices of the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA) and the Syngenta Foundation for Sustainable Agriculture (SFSA). The two institutions signed an agreement to undertake a 3-year project titled Strengthening Capacity for Safe Management of Biotechnology in Sub-Saharan Africa (SABIMA). The project aims at strengthening Africa's capacity in sound biotechnology management for enhanced food security in the sub-region and it is being implemented by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR-Ghana). It is expected that an effectively informed network of experts with access to quality information will be formed. Awareness in biotechnology and biosafety activities and risk communication as well as stewardship principles will also be created.

In his keynote address, the Deputy Minister for Environment Science and technology, Dr E.K. Omane-Boamah indicated that the workshop was timely since the Ghana Biosafety Bill has been presented in parliament by the sector minister and is scheduled for discussion in October. He pledged the ministry's commitment towards the passage of the Bill into law. Similar training workshops are scheduled for other stakeholders including media and civil societies in the near future.

For more information contact Dr. Marian D. Quain, CSIR-CRI Focal Person, at marianquain@hotmail.com or Dr. I.D.K. Atokple , CSIR-SARI Assistant Focal person, at idkatokple@yahoo.com