Workshops &
Technical Training

Advancing the Understanding of Biotechnology Issues

Overview

As new biotechnology is developed, countries need to have the capability to understand and assess these technologies. The Agriculture & Food Systems Institute recognizes the need to help countries develop and strengthen their institutional governance to do so.

What We Are Doing

We regularly conduct trainings and workshops on a variety of topics to advance understanding of biotechnology issues. Our trainings provide technical assistance to the biosafety risk assessment and research communities and further support governments’ efforts to implement functional and scientifically sound regulatory processes for agricultural biotechnology.

“Workshops were very interactive and gave in-depth knowledge of the topic. Group discussions during the workshops made everyone appreciate the topic and provided an opportunity for attendees to express their views about GM crops and their implications.”

Dr. Manoj V. M., Scientist, Division of Crop Improvement, ICAR-Sugarcane Breeding Institute

“The SABP webinar provided a unique opportunity to increase the knowledge of young researchers of BSMRAU about biosafety regulations, manuals, and assessment guidelines to contribute to GM crop research to achieve food security for sustainable development in Bangladesh.”

Nur Uddin Mahmud, Student, Institute of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University (BSMRAU)

“It was my second time participating in the South Asia Biosafety Conference, and I have benefited greatly from this conference. It was a large gathering of scientists from around the world, and I shared and received lots of ideas from the participants, not only on the biosafety rules and regulations during the plenary session, but also cutting edge research technology such as CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing.“

Dr. Dipali Rani Gupta, Lecturer, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University

“This three-day event was greatly informative, with discussions of biosafety policies and regulatory frameworks currently implemented not only in Bangladesh, but also in other countries, including India, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, and Nigeria. It was a great opportunity to hear ideas and experiences from different experts working at the policy level in these countries.”

Dr. M. G. Mostofa, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University

Our Successes

Technical Training on Gene Editing and Plant Breeding Innovation in South Korea

Objective

Gene editing refers to a family of precision plant breeding techniques used to develop plants with beneficial traits ranging from resistance to abiotic and biotic stresses to nutritional enhancement.

While there is no agreed-upon international definition for these techniques, gene editing typically makes use of site-directed nucleases (SDNs) to introduce changes at a specific site in the genome.
Depending upon the process, the resulting change could range from a point mutation to small sequence changes or potentially to the incorporation of entire genes.
The regulation of gene edited plants is the subject of much discussion, particularly those that result from small sequence changes that are indistinguishable from plants produced through conventional mutagenesis methods.

The need to facilitate open and informed dialogue in South Korea on the science and policy related to gene editing and novel plant breeding techniques was identified, with the idea that such discussions will:

Contribute to a science-based and transparent policy for the consideration of gene edited agricultural products among researchers, risk assessors, regulators, scientists, and academics in the country.
Provide stakeholders with an opportunity to better understand the technology of gene editing.
Foster an open dialogue between government officials, scientists, and other stakeholders on issues related to new plant breeding technologies.

Outcome

Supported by a grant from the United States Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA FAS) from 2020-2023 and from CropLife International in 2024, the Agriculture and Food Systems Institute (AFSI) convened a Steering Committee and, with their input and hands-on assistance, organized the following series of by-invitation-only online and in-person technical training activities for stakeholders in South Korea:

Workshop 1: The kick-off webinar on April 22, 2021 introduced gene editing and set the stage for future discussions on regulatory approaches and communication elements related to this technology. Six experts from around the wrold delivered talks on different aspects of gene editing, including the science, regulatory landscape, and communication.
Workshop 2: The follow-up workshop on July 19-23, 2021 allowed stakeholders to participate in discussions over the course of one week, with the aim of improving their understanding of the technology and varying approaches to regulating the products of gene editing. International experts presented examples of genome edited plants that have been developed around the world, as well as the approach to their regulation in different countries, after which facilitated discussions in breakout groups had participants consider and present on case studies.
Workshop 3: After priming participants with online activities, the first in-person workshop took place on July 25-26, 2022 in Seoul and covered key concepts in problem formulation, Codex principles, the basics of food and feed safety assessment for whole foods, the application of safety assessment concepts to products of gene editing, and current global practices related to approaches for the regulation of gene edited organisms, followed by practical exercises to provide participants with experience in applying safety assessment concepts to products of gene editing.
Workshop 4: Organized on December 10-11, 2024 in Daejeon, the concluding in-person workshop focused on encouraging dialogue and enabling effective communication on issues related to new plant breeding technologies among scientists and experts from the government, private sector, academia, Korea Biosafety Clearinghouse, other public sector institutions, law firms, and scientific organizations involved in agricultural biotechnology. Spanning two days, this training event was divided into four technical sessions: (1) Genome Editing in the Context of Agriculture, Food Security, and Innovation, (2) Global Regulatory Landscape for Genome Edited Plants, (3) Socioeconomic Considerations in Adopting Innovative Technologies, and (4) Considerations for Intellectual Property Rights for Plant Varieties.

All events in this series benefited from simultaneous English-Korean translation and discussion sessions facilitated by Korean-speaking moderators.

Link to Agendas and Speaker Bios for the Technical Training on Gene Editing and Plant Breeding Innovation in South Korea

Project Name:
Gene Edited Plants: Context and Communication for Plant Breeding Innovation
Years:
2020-2024
Funding:
United States Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA FAS) New Technologies and Production Methods Division (NTPMD), CropLife International
Steering Committee Members:
Dr. Chee Hark Harn (ToolGen, Inc.), Dr. Donghern Kim (Mediprogen), Dr. Yong-Sam Kim (GenKore), Dr. Wayne Parrott (University of Georgia)
Country:
South Korea

Training on Food and Feed Safety Assessment for Foods Derived from Genetically Engineered Plants in Indonesia

Objective

Safety assessments of food and feed derived from genetically engineered plants in most countries are designed around Codex Alimentarius’ principles and guidelines, with differences in the practical application at national and regional levels. The Agriculture and Food Systems Institute (AFSI) developed a strategic capacity building program focused on technical training of critical stakeholder groups, including:

Regulators and scientists from the public sector who are called upon to conduct safety assessments of foods derived from genetically engineered plants.
Public sector scientists engaged in product development.
Scientists at institutions that may be called upon to provide testing services for product developers.

This training program helps participants:

Establish a baseline understanding of the concepts and principles of food safety assessment.
Build a community of practice within their country/region.

Outcome

Supported by a grant from the United States Department of Agriculture’s Emerging Markets Program (EMP), AFSI conducted a phased training program for members of Indonesia’s Food Safety Technical Team and Feed Safety Technical Team, along with other relevant stakeholders.

Phase I was conducted on August 1-3, 2017 in Bogor, Indonesia and, through lectures and practical exercises, introduced important concepts and components for food and feed safety assessment, including:

Problem Formulation
Toxicity
Composition and Allergenicity Assessment
Molecular Characterization

Phase II was conducted over five days, on November 6-10, 2017 at the Stine Haskell Research Facility in Wilmington, Deleware. The in-depth training allowed participants to observe how food and feed safety assessment data is collected in the laboratory, focusing on the following topics:

Laboratory and Vivarium Safety
Testing Proteins for Toxicity
Data Analysis and Statistics
Regulatory Testing Strategy
Molecular Characterization
Analytical Chemistry/Composition Analysis
Allergenicity
Bioinformatics

Following the completion of Phase I and II, AFSI remained in contact with participants through a series of surveys. Having confirmed that participants found the training useful and relevant to their responsibilities related to genetically engineered food and feed safety assessment, and after learning that there had been some turnover in Indonesia with respect to the Indonesia Biosafety Commission, AFSI proposed revisiting the training in a virtual format, to introduce these concepts and tools to additional regulators and as a refresher to those who had already completed Phases I and II.

Comprised of ten modules released in tranches between June 15-December 20, 2020, with a virtual facilitated discussion to conclude the event, Phase III covered:

Concepts, principles, standards, guidelines, and documents developed at the international level through intergovernmental organizations, such as the Codex Alimentarius Commission and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)
The Food Safety Assessment Framework
The Concept of Comparative Assessment
Determination of Substantial Equivalence
Considerations for Feed Safety
Approaches to Safety Assessment and Regulation of Breeding Stacks
Effective Communication and Consultation

Link to Details about the Training on Food and Feed Safety Assessment for Foods Derived from Genetically Engineered Plants in Indonesia

Project Name:
Genetically Engineered Food/Feed Safety Assessment Training
Years:
2017-2020
Funding:
United States Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA FAS) Emerging Markets Program (EMP)
Partners and Collaborators:
Indonesian National Agency of Drug and Food Control (BPOM), Indonesian Center for Agricultural Biotechnology and Genetic Resources Research and Development (ICABIOGRAD), USDA FAS
Parties:
Members of Indonesia’s Food Safety Technical Team, Feed Safety Technical Team, and Biosafety Commission
Geography:
Indonesia

Building a Network of Biosafety Practitioners in Bangladesh

Objective

Biotechnology is used as a tool in basic plant biology research, as well as in the development of new plant varieties needed to address pressing agricultural challenges. In Bangladesh, this kind of work is conducted by national research organizations, public and private universities, and private sector laboratories, all of which must comply with biosafety regulations. Institutional Biosafety Officers (IBOs) need to ensure that biosafety-related activities at their home institutions are successfully implemented in accordance with government-mandated regulations and guidance.

Outcome

Against the backdrop of continued developments in both research and regulation of agricultural biotechnology in Bangladesh, the South Asia Biosafety Program (SABP), in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture, Government of Bangladesh, convened training activities across the country between 2020 and 2023, establishing a network of practitioners who exchange experiences and knowledge about best practices for ensuring biosafety during the research and development of genetically engineered plants. This program was modeled after a similar effort SABP launched with the Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR). During the same period, SABP conducted a seminar series with universities in Bangladesh to ensure that biotechnology researchers are familiar with Bangladesh’s biosafety requirements.

Project Name:
Institutional Biosafety Officer Training Program
Years:
2020-2023
Funding:
Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
Parties:
Institutional Biosafety Officers (IBOs) and Committees (IBCs) at research institutions engaged in biotechnology research and development in Bangladesh
Country:
Bangladesh

Introducing the Data Transportability Conceptual Framework and GEnZ Explorer to the African Agricultural Biotechnology Community

Objective

The African agricultural biotechnology community seeking to make more efficient use of resources to evaluate the biosafety of genetically engineered plants could benefit from the data transportability conceptual framework and its practical application using the GEnZ Explorer. One way to avoid the unnecessary cost of duplicating CFT data is to use pre-existing CFT data obtained from a similar environment outside of a host country. The GEnZ Explorer, an online tool that allows CFT locations to be characterized with respect to agroclimatic zones to facilitate CFT data transportability, will enable users to identify the locations of CFT data generated in environments outside of a host country that are similar and relevant to the environments found within the host country.

Outcome

In 2018, supported by a grant from the United States Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA FAS) Emerging Markets Program (EMP), the Agriculture and Food Systems Institute (AFSI) conducted the following outreach activities related to the practical application of data transportability into regional risk assessment policy for stakeholders in Africa, in partnership with the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) and the Association for Strengthening Agricultural Research in Eastern and Central Africa (ASARECA):

CFT Data Transportability Workshop · March 12-13, 2019 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Data Transportability for COMESA Workshop · February 12-13, 2020 in Entebbe, Uganda

At these workshops, attendees were introduced to and gained hands-on experience with the GEnZ Explorer. They learned how to use the online tool to identify the location of CFT data generated outside of their country that were conducted in similar environments to those found in their country. Participants also shared updates on the regulatory systems and approval process in their countries, as well as discussed how data transportability concepts could be applied in the region.

GEnZ Explorer: A Tool for Visualizing Agroclimate to Inform Research and Regulatory Risk Assessment

Project Name:
Applying the Results of the Data Transportability Conceptual Framework in Partnership with the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA)
Years:
2018-2020
Funding:
United States Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA FAS) Emerging Markets Program (EMP)
Partners and Collaborators:
ssociation for Strengthening Agricultural Research in Eastern and Central Africa (ASARECA), Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) Program for Biosafety Systems (PBS), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), United States Agency for International Development (USAID)
Countries of Participants:
Burkina Faso, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Morocco, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Zambia

Training Institutional Biosafety Officers in India

Objective

India identified mitigation of the effects of climate change on its agricultural productivity as a national priority. Over 30 Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) institutes have active research programs developing and evaluating genetically engineered plants to improve resilience to biotic and abiotic stressors that would benefit from well-trained biosafety practitioners to ensure that biosafety-related activities at their home institutions are successfully implemented in accordance with government-mandated regulations and guidance.

Outcome

Committed to compliance with biosafety regulations regarding genetically engineered organisms, ICAR partnered with the South Asia Biosafety Program (SABP) on a technical training activity involving ten ICAR institutions actively working to develop new genetically engineered plants.

Each of the ICAR institutions nominated two individuals to become Institutional Biosafety Officers (IBOs).
The IBOs worked together to develop the resources needed for a functioning, fit-for-purpose institutional biosafety program. This included creating standard operating procedures (SOPs), staff training materials, and processes for biosafety audits of research facilities.
Eight workshops were conducted between April 2015 and September 2019 as part of this program.

Project:
ICAR Institutional Biosafety Officer Training Workshops
Years:
2015-2019
Partners:
Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), Biotech Consortium India Limited (BCIL)
Geography:
India

Discover

Publications

Paraguay’s Path Toward the Simplification of Procedures in the Approval of GE Crops

Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology | August 18, 2020

This paper presents the recent evolution of the regulatory system in Paraguay toward the establishment of a simplified procedure for GE crops that have been already assessed by sound and experienced regulatory systems, taking into account several scientific criteria. Dr. Carmen Vicién, Agriculture & Food Systems Institute in-country partner, was a co-author of this paper, which references the Agriculture & Food Systems Institute’s involvement in the Partnership for Biosafety Risk Assessment and Regulation in Paraguay.

Capacities for the Risk Assessment of GMOs: Challenges to Build Sustainable Systems

Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology | April 5, 2018

The need for functional risk assessment bodies in general, and in the biosafety field in particular, demands continued efforts and commitment from regulatory agencies, if results that are sustainable in time are to be achieved. Dr. Carmen Vicién, Agriculture & Food Systems Institute in-country partner, was a co-author of this paper, which references the Agriculture & Food Systems Institute’s involvement in the Partnership for Biosafety Risk Assessment and Regulation in Paraguay and the use of Agriculture & Food Systems Institute eLearning courses in Kenya.