Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
03ROME4817
2003-10-22 04:52:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Rome
Cable title:  

BIOTECH OUTREACH TO FAO STAFF AND PERMREPS

Tags:  EAGR ETRD FAO 
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UNCLAS ROME 004817 

SIPDIS


FROM THE U.S. MISSION TO THE UN AGENCIES IN ROME

STATE FOR EB/PCHASE, EB/TPP/BTT/DMALAC, OES/EGC
FAS FOR SBLEGGI, RHUGHES, LREICH, BRICHEY, BSIMMONDS,
CMP/GFD

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAGR ETRD FAO
SUBJECT: BIOTECH OUTREACH TO FAO STAFF AND PERMREPS

UNCLAS ROME 004817

SIPDIS


FROM THE U.S. MISSION TO THE UN AGENCIES IN ROME

STATE FOR EB/PCHASE, EB/TPP/BTT/DMALAC, OES/EGC
FAS FOR SBLEGGI, RHUGHES, LREICH, BRICHEY, BSIMMONDS,
CMP/GFD

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAGR ETRD FAO
SUBJECT: BIOTECH OUTREACH TO FAO STAFF AND PERMREPS


1. The US Mission to the UN Agencies in Rome (FODAG)
organized two events for a visiting team from the
National Center for Food and Agricultural Policy (NCFAP)
on October 6-7: a seminar at the FAO for professional
staff and a small coffee for selected permanent
representatives to FAO at DCM Cleverley's residence. The
aim was to provide scientific information on the
potential economic and environmental benefits of
agricultural biotechnology.

--------------
Technical Seminar for FAO Staff
--------------


2. More than 50 professionals (20 from the
Agriculture Department) participated. Mahmoud Solh,
Director, Plant Production and Protection Division,
Agriculture Department, FAO, introduced the speakers.


3. Prof. Adrianne Massey (A. Massey and Associates)
put biotech into the context of a logical development of
agricultural science that could be used as a tool for
innovation comparable with other measures and techniques
in order to improve production and benefit the farmer as
well as consumer.


4. Mr. Leonard Gianessi (NCFAP) focused on the
economic and environmental benefits of reduced pesticide
use with a series of slides that contrasted the
performance and yield of biotech crops with their non-
biotech equivalents. The examples were taken from
experience in the US and the EU. NCFAP is in the process
of developing additional case studies in the European
context.


5. Dr. Jennifer Thomson (University of Cape Town)
discussed her own research in South Africa, aimed at
creating plant varieties with greater resistance to
drought, salinity, heat and cold.


6. Questions from the FAO audience included concerns
about the risks associated with a new technology and new
products. Many of these concerns came from the social
scientists present. Massey argued that biotech
scientists had greater control over the process of
genetic change in their experiments than in traditional
plant breeding, where numerous characteristics were
altered at once, sometimes in unknown combinations.
There was some criticism of NCFAP's statistics and
methodology, and a few questioned the motives of the US
Mission in bringing NCFAP to the FAO. It was clear that

some FAO staff members were well versed in biotech
research; the biological scientists in the audience
seemed more comfortable with the technology and excited
by the research presented by Dr. Thomson.


7. Other questions touched on broader policy aspects,
such as farm subsidies and labeling. Biotech's
capability to address particular plant diseases and pests
also drew the interest of the audience. The Chief of the
Seed and Plant Genetic Resources Service lamented the
lack of funds for research, recalling that more resources
were available for South America in the 1970s.

--------------
Briefing for Permreps at DCM's Residence
--------------


8. The NCFAP team gave an abbreviated version of
their presentation to country representatives to the FAO
from Egypt, Japan, Kuwait, Malaysia, Indonesia, China and
Spain over coffee at DCM Cleverley's residence. The
ensuing discussion was called to a halt after two hours.

-- Egypt reacted to the opportunity for Cairo-Cape Town
cooperation on biotech by arranging appointments for Dr.
Thomson to meet with Egyptian scientific organizations.

-- Japan's concerns about risk containment were addressed
by Massey with her explanation of relative risks of
biotechnology experiments versus traditional breeding.

-- Kuwait recognized the value of development of drought,
salt, heat and cold resistant plants and offered examples
of the various ways that scientific information is spread
and reaches the public.

-- Malaysia saw a difference between developing
technology at home and importing it. This led to a

discussion of the importance of utilizing innovations
from whatever source. Thomson gave the example of small-
scale South African cotton farmers who readily rely on
imported Bt cotton seed.

-- Indonesia was looking to benefit its farmers through
increased exports, and worried that economies of scale
were needed for applications of biotechnology. Further
discussion was aimed at correcting the misapprehension
that GM crops are of value only on a large scale.

-- China examined the soybean situation. American
soybeans are more expensive than native Chinese
varieties, but are preferred by the Chinese people so
that the government has to decide how much to import.
The broader trade questions were not pursued.

-- Spain was concerned about the dissemination of
information through labeling and the process of consumer
acceptance. The team used the opportunity to discuss the
US approach to labeling.


9. This event was marked by lively discussion,
probing questions and serious note taking. The invitees
appeared to be using the opportunity to strengthen their
own answers to questions they are regularly asked to
field.

--------------
Comment
--------------


10. The two NCFAP presentation demonsrated the
potential for using scientific briefings to stimulate
more informed and thoughtful discussion of biotechnology.
Such information is particularly valuable when it is
presented by experts who are seen, by sometimes-skeptical
audiences, to be rigorously scientific and independent of
vested commercial interests.

Hall


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2003ROME04817 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED