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Biotechnology an answer to man's need for food

NISAR AHMAD SHAIKH

ISLAMABAD: Participants of the international seminar on "Biotechnology for Development" have in unison termed biotechnology as the most exciting of sciences as well as the basis of what is called the new biotechnology as it has enhanced man's understanding about living cells and in the process changing then to suit human needs.

The three-day international seminar, which was inaugurated by President Muhammad Rafiq Tarar on Tuesday morning, has been organised by Comstech and is being participated by scientists from Egypt, Bangladesh, Iran, Kuwait, Morocco, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sudan, Turkey and Pakistan.

In his keynote address the chairman of the Pakistan Agricultural Research Council, Dr Kausar Abdullah Malik made some revelations about the agriculture production of the Muslim World.

Dr Malik said that the 52 Muslim states with a population of one billion has an arable area of 242 million hectares while the potentially arable area is limited to 200 million hectares. The most distressing revelation made by the PARC chairman was that 35 out of 52 Muslims states are facing serious food shortage while the Ummah is spending 30 billion on food imports every year.

He was of the view that the answer to food shortage in the Muslim World lies in the adoption of biotechnology as broadly defined, includes any technology that uses living organises, or part of such organisms, to make or modify products, to improve plants or animals or to develop micro-organisms for specific use. In this regard he mentioned the use of biofertilizers which are preparations containing live, non-pathogenic micro-organisms beneficial to agricultural production in terms of nutrient supply. He said the use of biofertilizers is very economical. The N-fertilizer consumption is reduced by 10 percent with the application of biofertilizer. For instance, he said, the consumption of N-fertilizer in Pakistan in 1995 was 1.839 million tonnes but through use of biofertilizer a saving of 10 percent or 0.1839 million tonnes was possible. The cost of fertilizer saved at the rate of Rs 13/KG would come to Rs 2.391 billion or $48 million.

He said with the application of biotechnology it is possible to achieve multiplication of a very high level. For instance from one single plant of sugarcane during a period of 8 months sugarcane plantlets of the order of 80,000 to 100,000 could be produced while adopting meristen tip and micro-propagation plantlets serial multiplication.

Talking about biotechnology and developing countries, he said that developing countries fall into four categories:

Ñ interested but not directly involved in modern biotechnology.

Ñ have national policy on biotechnologies and a research programme, mainly in conventional biotechnologies, monitoring developments overseas, with little modern in-country biotechnologies.

Ñ have a national policy and research programme, mainly conventional biotechnologies, had established collaborative linkages in industrialised countries for training and acquisition of new technologies.

Ñ have a national policy and research programme, in modern biotechnologies, complemented by strong overseas linkages in public and private sector. He said that most developing countries fall in the first three categories.

Dr Malik estimated that the worldwide market for biotech products during the year 2000 would rapidly increase and would range between 45 and 200 billion dollars. The biggest share of these products would be consumed by the food and agriculture sector amounting to 48 percent Ñ a whooping increase of 27 percent as compared to the 1990s. The second highest consumption would be taken by the health sector to be followed by chemicals and energy sectors.

The presentation by the Bangladesh delegate, Prof. Dr Kaiyyum Choudhry of the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission, was very interesting. He narrated how red-tape interferes with matters of very urgent nature. He said that as early as 1984, the science and technology division of the education ministry made serious attempts for the establishment of a national institute of biotechnology. But despite hectic efforts at different levels, the project could not materialise till December, 1999. The delayed action on the part of the concerned ministries and departments, the sponsors of the project approached the grameen bank for establishing the institute in the private sector. It was in 1996. The idea was dropped and finally he said, the project was approved at a cost of 202 million.

Prof. Choudhry said that biotechnology promises improved agriculture productivity and products that is higher yield, quality food, feed, fibre and other agricultural products. It has great potentiality in the development of agricultural products as desired by the consumer and food processor such as calorie reduction, fat reduction, protein enrichment, taste improvement, longer shelf life, improved starch content and quality new agricultural products and pharmaceuticals. It ensures better management of agricultural ecosystems including water management, biofertilizers, biopesticides, biodiversity and bioremediation.

He was of the view that biotechnology can play a vital role in the socio-economic development of a country. The spectacular progress which has taken place in the last couple of decades indicate that we can no longer ignore the application of this technology for solving the problem of agriculture, health, energy, industry and environment. He was, however, of the view that a long-term plan, adequate financial support for R&D activities in different areas of technology, setting up of demonstration plants etc. are necessary prerequisits for the application of this innovative technology for national development. The sooner this truth is appreciated by the policy makers the better, he pleaded.

Prof. Choudhry disclosed that many third world countries including neighbours of Bangladesh have made good advances in biotechnology and some of these technologies have already been taken on commercial scale, for example, he said through embryo transfer technology as many as ten (10) calves of good breed are reported to be produced in a year from a single cow in Pakistan while virus free potato etc are being produced on a mass scale in India and many other countries. He said this amply proved that the tools of biotechnology can help increase production without increase in cost, rather in many cases the tools can reduce the cost of production substantially.

Prof. Dr Medhat Seif-el-Naar, head of scientific research sector and supervisor of the Egyptian Ministry of Higher Education, stressed that biotechnology is widely regarded as an exciting new technology having promising applications in many areas of development and possessing great opportunities for commercial interests. Thus, it was selected by the Egyptian government as worthy of support since the early 80s.

He said that more than 7000 scientists supported by competent staff are engaged in science and technology including biological sciences. He said biotechnology has developed rapidly in Egypt since 1990. Areas of successful biotechnology application include tissue culture of crop plants, genetic engineering and diagnosis of tumors. Research into the transplantation of bone narrow, kidneys and live is in the experimental stage. For the current five-year plan, the government has allocated $340 million for upgrading medical services including the introduction of biotechnology to universities and research institutions. In the field of genetic engineering and biotechnology, several programmes have been launched. These include the national strategy for biotechnology and genetic engineering. Another programme is the US-Egypt science and technology joint fund which is funding 33 projects in the field of genetic engineering and bio-technology.

He said that a national strategy for genetic engineering and biotechnology was established in Egypt with the objectives of introducing Egypt to the genetic engineering and biotechnology era with special emphasis on improving agricultural and industrial production as well as improving product quality to be able to compete in the global market and to promote private sector investment in modern biotechnology industries.

He pointed out that both short term (3-5 years) and long term (10 years duration) programmes have been launched in the field of agriculture, health, industry and environment. In addition, the national biosafety committee has been established since 1990 to devise national policy and instructions for biosafety use of genetic engineered organisms and products, training and consultation on biosafety procedures and the application of biosafety roles.