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Biotechnology and Equity
48. A recent analysis has revealed that the new biotechnology has both pro-poor and anti-poor features. The pro-poor features include: (i) lower farmer's cost of production by eliminating dependence on petrochemical inputs required for the green revolution technology; (ii) wider geographical applicability; and (iii) greater relevance to commodities produced and consumed by the poor. In addition to being more poor-friendly, biotechnology is considered to be environmentally sound.
49.
In Asia and the Pacific Region where the majority of farmers are small and resource-poor, use of biotechnology for development or improvement of biofertilizers, biological management of pests, detection of pathogens and their biocontrol, timely availability of vaccine at low cost, etc., will be particularly suitable. In order to engage the pro-poor features of biotechnologies, government policies might aim at encouraging those which can be widely applied by small farmers and at facilitating access to credit, price and marketing supports and adoption of the technologies by the resource-poor farmers.
Training
50.
Biotechnology is multidisciplinary, encompassing biology, molecular biology, biochemistry, genetics, microbiology, chemical and process engineering and computing and data processing, among others. Because of the multiplicity of the subjects, manpower development in biotechnology presents an especially difficult challenge. An undertaking in manpower development in biotechnology must take into consideration the basic sciences, the enabling technologies, and the practical applications. Given the extreme shortage of suitably trained biotechnologists, formal training at graduate and post- graduate levels should be intensified. In-service training and retraining of scientists and technologists in new areas for updating of knowledge on specific topics or techniques is required. Considerable scope also exists. for North-South cooperation in training of manpower.
5.1.
Individual developing countries should seek to define their manpower needs and based on these and available capacities and comparative advantages, appropriate training and research programmes and infrastructure for biotechnology should be developed, including education at university and
postgraduate levels.
Regional Collaboration
52.
The Region shows a wide range of expertise and achievement in biotechnology for crop and livestock production. In particular, several low-income countries have rather modest biotechnology programmes but are keen to have a minimum level of capabilities in this field so that they are not deprived of the fruits of biotechnology.
53.
Developed countries of the Region, especially Japan and Australia, along with USA and European countries, have been assisting several developing countries of the Region in the field of biotechnology, mostly on ad hoc and on bilateral basis. This assistance could be more coherent and synergistic in order to improve the overall capability of the Region. There is also good scope for cooperation among the developing countries themselves, in view of common problems and prospects for development and utilization of biotechnology. The Region is a centre of diversity of many plants and animals. Further, it has almost a monopoly in production of
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