The Foundation for Biotechnology Awareness and Education (FBAE) was conceived by a small group of like-minded academics and biologists with the sole objective of propagating factual and comprehensive scientific information about modern biotechnology in the face of world wide opposition to technology deployment through a wanton misinformation campaign. The promoters of the concept of FBAE were impressed by the astounding advancements in modern biotechnology, and were convinced of its potential to help the developing countries in solving many of their intransigent problems in agriculture, medicine and the environment. The founders of FBAE were deeply disturbed by a strong and vehement opposition to modern biotechnology based in junk science and ideological politics. They felt a dire need for an organization like the FBAE to create and sustain an informed climate for the development and deployment of modern biotechnology.
The FBAE was inaugurated by Professor G Padmanabhan on January 18, 2001, and has functioned ever since as a registered non-profit organization a) to spread biotechnology awareness, b) to promote sustainable development through safe biotechnologies and c) to enhance standards of biotechnology education and training. The last of these objectives has been closer to the hearts of the founders of the FBAE, most of who have spent their entire careers as academics.
FBAE continues to grow and shape itself into a scientifically credible organization to inform the public through debate and discourse on the risks and benefits of modern biotechnology. FBAE’s fundamental desire is to see that the people who need and deserve the benefits of the technology around the world are not deprived of the benefits of this wonderful technology. In the brief history of its existence, FBAE accomplished some important activities that have contributed to meeting its main goals and objectives. They are:
Stake Holders’ Dialogues
The FBAE conducted a series of three stake holders’ dialogue at Delhi, Pune and Hyderabad, supported by Syngenta International (Basle, Switzerland) during October-November 2001, to explore how modern science and technology can be fitted into sustainable development of agriculture in the developing world. The dialogues provided an opportunity to different stakeholders to be exposed to different points of view to understand what besets and ails development of agriculture in the developing world. ‘Sustainable Indian Agriculture’, is the report based on the proceedings and recommendations of the three workshops, was prepared by the FBAE.
Workshops:
The FBAE has conducted over a dozen workshops with different focal themes, for students and teachers of biotechnology and related sciences, each concluding with a public debate on issues focussed in the day. Most of the workshops, to which others were also invited, focussed on science, technology, regulatory affairs, agricultural biotechnology in India and other issues. The two of the latest workshops were held on February 21 and September 11, 2007. These workshops are extremely popular with the students and teachers for its contents and scope of contemporary topics covered.
We conducted two workshops in 2003 exclusively for the teachers of biotechnology and microbiology in Bangalore to discuss the problems faced by them in terms of curricula and syllabi, and in carrying out their work satisfactorily. This was done specially at a time when there was a mushrooming of colleges starting biotechnology courses with lots of hype and fan fare. The parents and their wards were utterly confused about what biotechnology holds out for them in terms of career prospects after majoring in biotechnology. This kind of confusion still prevails to a large extent around the country. These meetings resulted in a report on the status of biotechnology education and training, which was widely circulated throughout the country. We are happy that this status paper resulted in certain policy recommendations of the Department of Biotechnology. One of the most important recommendations was to establish a national regulatory body to guide and control biotechnology education and training along the lines of the All India Council of Technical Education, and the Medical, Dental and Bar Councils of India.
Websites:
The FBAE website www.fbae.org has been the most important route of our international communication. This website is quite popular and registered over 62,000 visits since its inception five years ago. Over 150 articles related to different aspects of biotechnology have been posted on the FBAE website and also on another website at http://fbaeblog.org/, which is internationally acclaimed. All articles are based on science and empirical facts. Several articles are written to help students and teachers of biotechnology. More importantly, we respond and react to issues arising and about 100 critical articles on agricultural biotechnology in India in particular were posted on the websites. The two websites are linked to several international websites.
Participation at Workshops and Conferences:
The FBAE has been invited as lead speakers at several national and international conferences on biotechnology. The following is a partial list of such meetings:
1. European Union, Brussels, Belgium (January 2003)
2. Institute of Development Studies, Brighton, UK (October 2003)
3. National Institute of Public Health, Cuernavaca, Mexico (September 2004)
4. US National Academy of Sciences, Washington (Six meetings in 2004 and 2005)
5. Cen-Sad (The Community of Sahelo-Saharan States), Tripoli, Libya (April 2006)
6. Union of Academies of Science of Germany, Berlin (May 2006)
7. World Health Organization, Geneva (October 2006)
8. National Institutes of Health, Bethesda (US Government) and the World Health Organization, Geneva (February 2007)
9. World Health Organization, Asia-Pacific Unit, Bangkok, Thailand (December 2007)
10.National Academy of Agricultural Sciences, New Delhi, conducted at Chennai (October 2002)
11.Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, New Delhi (August 2004)
12.Indian Council of Medical Research, New Delhi (September 2005)
13.Bangalore Bio (2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007)
14.FAO Electronic Conferences (2003, 2005)
15.Several National Conferences at Trivandrum, Tiruvalla, Coimbatore, Tiruchhi, Chennai, Hyderabad, Bangalore and other places.
Members of the FBAE have served as expert resource persons at several workshops and training programmes on biosecurity and biosafety such as those conducted at Bangkok (2006, 2007) by the National Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Asian Institute of Technology and Kasetsart University, and at Bangalore (2007) by the University of Agricultural Sciences.
Membership on National and International Bodies and Policy Committees:
1.European Federation of Biotechnology, Delft, Netherlands (Current).
2.European Association of Pharma Biotechnology, Delft, Netherlands (Current).
3.Committee on ‘Advances in Technology and the Prevention of their Application to Next Generation Bio- Warfare’, US National Academies, Washington, D.C. (2004, 2005).
4.Study Group on ‘Implications of life science research R & D for global health security’, World Health Organization, Geneva (Current).
5.International Roundtable on Dual Use Life Sciences Research, co-sponsored by the National Institutes of Health, Bethesda (US Government) and the World Health Organization, Geneva (Current).
6.Study Group on ‘Research policy and management of risks in life science research for global health security’, Asia-Pacific Regional Group, World Health Organization, Bangkok, Thailand (current).
7.Expert Working Group on Biotechnology for formulation of 11th Five Year Plan Proposals, Department of Biotechnology, Government of India (2006).
8.Working Group for National Biotechnology Regulatory Authority, Department of Biotechnology, Government of India (Current).
9.Indian Golden Rice Product Development Group, Department of Biotechnology, Government of India (Current).
10.Committee on Biotech-based programmes for Societal Development, Department of Biotechnology, Government of India (2006).
11.Working Group on Public Understanding and Trust, Task Force for National Policy on Biotechnology, Department of Biotechnology, Government of India. (2004).
12.Working Group, Task Force on Agricultural Biotechnology Policy, Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India (2004).
13.Expert Committee for the promotion of biotechnology in Indian Systems of Medicine, Karnataka Biotechnology Development Council, Government of Karnataka (2006-07).
Reports on National and International Policy:
The FBAE contributed to the following peer reviewed reports:
1.‘An international perspective on advancing technologies and strategies for managing dual risks’, 2005, US National Academies, Washington, D.C.
2.‘Globalization, biosecurity and the future of the life sciences’ 2006, US National Academies, Washington, D.C.
3.‘Life Science Research and Global Health Security’, 2006, World Health Organization, Geneva.
Field Visits:
The FBAE conducted field visits to the cotton growing areas in Karnataka in 2002 and the cotton growing areas of the Warangal District in Andhra Pradesh in 2006 and prepared widely circulated reports on the performance of Bt cotton in these areas.
Discussion Meetings:
We have met with several group and individual researchers and technology managers from India and abroad and discussed various issues relating to biotechnology issues in India.
Lectures Delivered:
Members of the FBAE have delivered several invited lectures at educational and research institutions in and out of the country, addressing students and the faculty as for example at Syngenta International, Basle, Switzerland (2003), University of Basle, South Asia Program at the Cornell University (2005)), National Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Bangkok (2006), and numerous others in India.
Literature Distributed:
The FBAE has compiled and distributed a considerable amount of literature and other materials on biotechnology at the time of the workshops.
Support to Students:
The FBAE conducted essay competitions for students and distributed certificates of participation in the workshops conducted by us.
The FBAE readily answers to queries from students and parents, received by e-mail and on phone, regarding biotechnology courses, career guidance and other related issues.
Interaction with Media:
The FBAE has invited the Media to all its programmes, provided them with reading material, conducted Press Conferences and one workshop exclusively for them, in order to facilitate the Media to provide the Public with factual information on issues of biotechnology.
Financial Support:
The FBAE has not been very successful in raising funds which has restricted the scope of its activities. Although we are grateful to modest support we have received from some industry groups, our core sustenance has come from students’ participation at our workshops and symposia. We have a long way to go in terms building our foundation on a solid financial footing, and also to grow into an influential international organization in the cause of biotechnology development. We need lots of support and encouragement from all groups, organizations and individuals who share our views on the use of modern biotechnology for future economic growth of India and other developing countries.
January 18, 2008
No. 1, Gupta’s Layout,
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Bangalore 560 001
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