Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40 Page 41 Page 42 Page 43 Page 44 Page 45 Page 46 Page 47 Page 48 Page 49 Page 50 Page 51 Page 52 Page 53 Page 54 Page 55 Page 56 Page 57 Page 58 Page 59 Page 60 Page 61 Page 62 Page 63 Page 64 Page 65 Page 66 Page 67 Page 68 Page 69 Page 70 Page 71 Page 72 Page 73 Page 74 Page 75 Page 7664 / SEEDWORLD.COM FEBRUARY 2017 STATUS BANGLADESH M Khairul Bashar, country manager for HarvestPlus- Bangladesh, has been elected as the president of Plant Breeding and Genetics Society of Bangladesh for 2017-18. “Plant Breeding and Genetics Society of Bangladesh” (PBGSB) was formed in 1985. Being a rice breeder, working for Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI), Bashar joined the society as one of the opening members. Plant breeding during the last four decades has made remarkable contributions in the development of crop varieties to meet the demand of Bangladeshi farmers that has led to the increase of the country’s crop production. By developing crop varie- ties with higher yields, higher nutritional status, improved efficiency and reduced environmental impact, plant breeding is a prime contribu- tor to meeting the goals of sustainability in agricul- ture. Around 750 scientists, researchers and academics from the field of plant breed- ing are associated with this professional society. — Source: The Daily Star. STATUS CUBA Although this country will grow transgenic species on a large scale to reduce its food deficit, it will do so under strict scientific and legal control. “To successfully complete all the tests required by Cuban regulatory bodies, world STATUS A look at seed industry developments around the globe. Around the world, research institutions, governments and non-governmental organizations seek to improve crop production, but not at the expense of food safety or access to high quality seeds. by the spring of 2017, we could start introducing (trans- genic ...) into larger areas of land,” says Mario Estrada, director of Agricultural Research at the Center Of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (CIGB). Cuba hopes to obtain results in a “safe and controlled” way to reduce imports of those two cereals, which in 2014 totaled more than $500 million, says Estrada. The island invests about $2 billion annually in importing about 75 percent of what Cubans eat, since their produce is insufficient to feed 11.2 million people and nearly 4 million tourists. Research on transgenic crops began in Cuba in 1996 and the first small-scale trials were done in 2009 after the enact- ment of regulatory legislation. But “the results did not adjust to the expectations, and this determined the interruption of the field tests with productive ends,” adds Estrada. “We are working on obtaining new transgenic maize lines, which on a small experimen- tal plot scale show potential yields of nine tonnes per hectare, well close to the levels reached by the world’s leading countries,” he says. It was also experimented “with a transgenic soy resistant to herbicides, which in experi- mental areas of the company Cubasoy showed a yield of up to 2.8 tons per hectare, much higher than the usual ones,” he says. — Source: El Espectador. STATUS GHANA The Program Coordinator of the Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana (PFAG), Victoria Adongo, urged the current parliament not to rush into passing the Plant Breeders’ Bill. “We are saying certain por- tions of the bill don’t suit us and the new parliament should, therefore, take its time and review this bill before passing it,” she says. PFAG argued that the bill only promoted the breeders’ rights over and above the farmers’ rights. They were even more incensed with the country’s decision to sign the African Regional Intellectual Property Organisation (ARIPO) Protocol at a time when the Plant Breeders’ Bill had not yet been approved by parliament. Based on these concerns, Parliament on Nov. 11, 2014, deferred the consideration of the bill at the direction of the Speaker, Doe Adjaho, who said it was important the con- tent of the document capture the views and concerns the civil society organizations. Since then, PFAG has com- menced a project that aims to ensure farmers have access to quality inputs, leading to an increase in productivity, market access and sustain- able incomes. The project seeks to ensure proper policies, laws and regulatory frameworks that promote farmers’ access to quality inputs through campaigns