Steps taken to adopt modern biotechnology

Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Sikandar Hayat Khan Bosan on Thursday said that Pakistan has taken a number of bold steps regarding resorting to biotechnology in spite of many challenges. Sikandar Hayat Khan Bosan while speaking at a two-day workshop on capacity building of biosafety technology said that Pakistan as a developing country is facing many challenges including energy crisis, food security, and rapid urbanization in the wake of increasing population and the more global phenomenon of climate change.Despite all these challenges, Pakistan took many bold steps with respect to adoption of modern biotechnology and establishing Biotechnology Centres across the country, the minister said. The workshop was organised in collaboration with the Pakistan Agriculture Research Council (PARC) and Pakistan Biotechnology Information Centre (PABIC). The minister said that biotechnology has the potential to enhancethe food production by five to six percent which is a great sign for achieving food security. The real benefits of biotechnology would be attained by inculcating awareness about the practical application of biotechnology products among general public and farmers at large, he said.In Pakistan, he said, public accepted genetically modified crops at a large scale area (85pc) under Bt cotton cultivation while number of other crops and traits are in pipeline. He saidthat safer use of modern biotechnology for public welfare is one of the main agendas of incumbent government."Pakistan being a responsible member of world community, showed its strong commitment to international agreements in connection with safer handling of genetically modified crops such as CBD and Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety," he said. He said that comprehensive series of discussions and dialogues made it possible to develop and implement Pakistan Biosafety Rules in 2005 for the safer use of modern biotechnology. These biosafety guidelines and rules provide platform to avoid the adverse effects of Genetically Modified (GM) technology on health and environment, he added.Bosan admitted that the implementation of Biosafety Rules 2005 in the country is not very effective due to lack of Biosafety awareness among masses only at public level but also at national research and academic institutes. There is a strong need to set up a National Biosafety Laboratory in the country, he added.Professor Kausar Abdullah Malik, a renowned biotechnologistwhile speaking on the occasion said that the government needs to introduce an effective regularity mechanism on biotechnology. Research and commercialisation of Genetically Modified (GM) crops was badly affected in Pakistan following devolution of powers to the provinces after passage of 18th Amendment as there was absolute lack of official ownership of this important field, he said. He said that there is a need of a strong regulatory system to strengthen biotech research and development activities in country.News SourceNews Collated byPAKISSAN.comCourtesy www.brecorder.com