Capacity Building for Agricultural Biotechnology in Developing Countries

Agricultural biotechnology holds a unique position in formulating food and trade policies due to its conflicting aspects: its potential to improve food security especially in developing countries, and the intense debates over its risks and unknown impacts on human health and the environment. Agricultural biotechnology, nevertheless, has been widely utilized to help enhance food security with its extensive applications.

The technology is knowledge-resource intensive, therefore reinforcing a gap between developed and developing countries. One of the critical determinants of availability and accessibility of the technology is a developing country’s own capacity. Developing countries that wish to benefit the technology should build sufficient capacity. The current study intends to review the concepts of capacity building in agricultural biotechnology, and identify areas frequently considered in need of capacity building; coordinating partnerships, making financial commitment, setting priorities, establishing a regulatory system, and building public awareness.

While each area has its own territory, they juxtapose on one another to some extends, which can act as a virtuous or vicious cycle to facilitate or obstruct capacity building. Programs for successful capacity building in agricultural biotechnology should consider this nature.