Welcome to PBBC-SSAfrica
This conference is now closed, and is currently NOT being facilitated, but you might find the archived material useful.
Our main objective was to discuss the results of the national plant breeding and associated biotechnology assessment performed in Sub-Saharan African countries by the Global Partnership Initiative for Plant Breeding Capacity Building - GIPB (http://km.fao.org/gipb/), which is a global platform hosted by the FAO Plant Production and Protection Division, Rome, Italy.
During the past months we have discussed data on Sub-Saharan African countries' capacity to carry out plant breeding activities, including the application of biotechnology tools. A questionnaire was submitted to many institutions involved in the sector in the region and results reveal variable numbers and trends: the number of plant breeders and biotechnologists; the capacity to use biotechnology tools; resource allocations; priority crops regarding the allocation of resources, etc.
This discussion was being organized as means to extend awareness coming out of these surveys, and to further discuss and recommend appropriate strategies to strengthen capacity to use plant genetic resources for food and agriculture (PGRFA) in the region. The main issues to be stressed in our discussion were capacity building needs, strategies to increase access to PGRFA and biotechnology tools, and awareness of plant breeding characteristics and their impact in the region.
The GIPB will use the recommendations of this forum to develop further activities to support countries enhance their plant breeding capacity towards crop production intensification, food security and sustainable development.
You could read the closed discussions and have access to the documents on line.
Elijah Ateka, facilitator
and the GIPB Team
