October 18, 2012

Source: Plant Genetic Resources and Seeds Team, Plant Production and Protection Division, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations via Plant Breeding News

Dear colleagues,

As a follow up to its 2010 International Conference on Agricultural Biotechnologies in Developing Countries (ABDC-10, http://www.fao.org/biotech/abdc/en), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is in the process of preparing a short publication on "Case Studies of use of Agricultural Biotechnologies in Developing Countries".

The aim of this proposed publication is to document and disseminate high impact and/or teachable instances where non-GMO agricultural biotechnologies are, and have been, used to serve the needs of smallholder farmers in developing countries in the crop, forestry, livestock and fisheries sectors. It will target a non-technical audience and will cover the different areas in which biotechnologies are applied - such as to improve yields; characterize/conserve genetic resources; diagnose diseases; and develop vaccines etc. FAO's definition of biotechnology is quite broad (see http://www.fao.org/biotech/biotech-forum/conference-16/en/) but this particular endeavor excludes the applications of genetic transformation.

For the crops sector, the publication will include five case studies (maximum of 2000 words each) on the application of agricultural biotechnologies to crop production and protection (i.e. breeding, genetics, characterization, reproduction, physiology, multiplication of planting materials, diagnostics, pathology, etc.).

FAO is opening a competition to identify the five case studies and the writers that will document them. The selected authors will each receive a small honorarium and will have their authorship reflected on the publication.

To participate in the competition, interested persons are requested to send a title and abstract (max. 300 words) describing the case study. The abstract must specify the biotechnology (or biotechnologies) applied, the crop(s), the geographic location, the smallholder beneficiaries, the impact (or lack thereof) and lessons learned to Kakoli.Ghosh@fao.org or Chikelu.Mba@fao.org. The authors of the selected abstracts will subsequently be asked to prepare the full case study document (i.e. maximum 2000 words) that would preferably include relevant photos and charts.

Interested colleagues should please note that the case studies do not necessarily have to represent successes. Multiple abstracts may be submitted per person, as long as they refer to distinct case studies. One criterion for the selection of the case studies will be diversity so that the widest spectrums possible of applications, geographical locations, crops, etc. are covered for each sector.

The dates of importance for this competition are as follows:

1. 10 November 2012 - deadline for submission of abstracts
2. 20 November 2012 - notification of results of the selection process
3. 31 December 2012 - submission of first draft of case-study
4. 31 January 2013 - submission of final draft and arrangement of payment for services rendered

Requests for clarification or other inquiries may be sent to Chikelu.Mba@fao.org

Kakoli Ghosh and Chikelu Mba
Plant Genetic Resources and Seeds Team, Plant Production and Protection Division, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Viale delle Terme di Caracalla, 00153 Rome, Italy
Telephone: +39 (06) 57 05 62 65; Fax: +39 (06) 57 05 30 57

Website: http://www.cornell.edu

Published: October 18, 2012