Dubai, 11th May 2009 (WAM) -- H.E. Dr. Rashid Ahmed bin Fahad, Minister of Environment and Water, received Dr. Magdi Ahmed Madkour, consultantat the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) for discussion on the UAE national report on application of biotechnology in agricultureand environment.
The UAE is preparing the report with the assistance of the FAO. The report will identify and assess current capacities at the ministry, public academic institutes and private laboratories. The report will envisage and tailor a programme for training young national professionals in examining genetically modified food and products. The FAO is funding the regional project in which six Arab countries - UAE, Syria,Lebanon, Jordan, Yemen and Sudan are involved.Biotechnology provides powerful tools for the sustainable development of agriculture, fisheries and forestry, as well as the food industry. When appropriately integrated with other technologies for the production of food, agricultural products and services, biotechnology can be of significant assistance in meeting the needs of an expanding and increasingly urbanized population in the next millennium.
There is a wide array of "biotechnologies" with different techniques and applications. The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) defines biotechnology as: "any technological application that uses biological systems, living organisms, or derivatives thereof, to make or modify products or processes for specific use". FAO continues to assist its member countries, particularly developing countries, to reap the benefits derived from the application of biotechnologies in agriculture, forestry and fisheries. FAO provides technical information and assistance, as well as socio-economic and environmental analyses, on major global issues related to new technological developments. FAO is constantly striving to determine the potential benefits and possible risks associated with the application of modern technologies to increase plant and animal productivity and production. However, the responsibility for formulating policies towards these technologies rests with the Member Governments themselves.Copyright Emirates News Agency (WAM) 2009.
