@article{fdi:010054325,
  title = {{C}ase studies on the use of biotechnologies and on biosafety provisions in four {A}frican countries},
  author = {{B}lack, {R}. and {F}ava, {F}. and {M}attei, {N}. and {R}obert, {V}incent and {S}eal, {S}. and {V}erdier, {V}al{\'e}rie},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{T}his review is based on a study commissioned by the {E}uropean {C}ommission on the evaluation of scientific, technical and institutional challenges, priorities and bottlenecks for biotechnologies and regional harmonisation of biosafety in {A}frica. {B}iotechnology was considered within four domains: agricultural biotechnologies ('{G}reen'), industrial biotechnologies and biotechnologies for environmental remediation ('{W}hite'), biotechnologies in aquaculture ('{B}lue') and biotechnologies for healthcare ('{R}ed'). {A}n important consideration was the decline in partnerships between the {EU} and developing countries because of the original public antipathy to some green biotechnologies, particularly genetically modified organisms ({GMO}s) and food from {GM} crops in {E}urope. {T}he study focus reported here was {W}est {A}frica ({G}hana, {S}enegal, {M}ali and {B}urkina {F}aso). {T}he overall conclusion was that whereas high-quality research was proceeding in the countries visited, funding is not sustained and there is little evidence of practical application of biotechnology and benefit to farmers and the wider community. {R}esearch and development that was being carried out on genetically modified crop varieties was concentrating on improving food security and therefore unlikely to have significant impact on {EU} markets and consumers. {H}owever, there is much non-controversial green biotechnology such as molecular diagnostics for plant and animal disease and marker-assisted selection for breeding that has great potential application. {R}egarding white biotechnology, it is currently occupying only a very small industrial niche in {W}est {A}frica, basically in the sole sector of the production of liquid biofuels (i.e., bio-ethanol) from indigenous and locally planted biomass (very often non-food crops). {T}he presence of diffused small-scale fish production is the basis to develop and apply new ({B}lue) aquaculture technologies and, where the research conditions and the production sector can permit, to increase this type of production and the economy of this depressed areas. {H}owever, the problems bound to environmental protection must not be forgotten; priority should be given to monitor the risks of introduction of foreign species. {R}ed biotechnologies potentially bring a vast domain of powerful tools and processes to achieve better human health, most notably improved diagnostics by molecular techniques, better targeting of pathogens and a better knowledge of their sensitivities to drugs to permit better treatment. {B}iosafety regulatory frameworks had been initiated in several countries, starting with primary biosafety law. {H}owever, disparate attitudes to the purpose of biosafety regulation (e. g., fostering informed decision-making versus 'giving the green-light for a flood of {GMO}s') currently prevent a needed consensus for sub-regional harmonisation. {T}o date, most {R}&{D} funding has come from {N}orth {A}merica with some commercial interests from {A}sia, but {A}frican biotechnology workers expressed strong desire for (re-) engagement with interested parties from the {E}uropean {U}nion. {A}lthough in some of the visited countries there are very well qualified personnel in molecular biology and biosafety/regulation, the main message received is that human resources and capacity building in-house are still needed. {T}his could be achieved through home-based courses and capacity-building including funds for post-degree research to motivate and retain trained staff.},
  keywords = {{A}frica ; {B}iotechnology ; {B}iosafety ; {P}olicy ; {R}egulation ; {M}odel law ; {MALI} ; {BURKINA} {FASO} ; {SENEGAL} ; {GHANA}},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{J}ournal of {B}iotechnology},
  volume = {156},
  numero = {4},
  pages = {370--381},
  ISSN = {0168-1656},
  year = {2011},
  DOI = {10.1016/j.jbiotec.2011.06.036},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010054325},
}