events 2009
“Biotechnology - Feeding the Future”
Biotechnology Conference in Prague
U.S. Embassy in Prague organizes on Friday, September 18 in Prague a conference on biotechnologies and its role in providing food resources, taking place. The event is intended for farmers and farmer organizations, representatives from the dairy, feed and bio-fuel industry, food processors, grain warehouses, universities, and media.
Program of the conference
The United States believes that one of the keys to unlock the global hunger problem is to help farmers in poor countries grow more of their own food. Only biotech gets over the disease and climate change problems they face in addressing these issues. Conventional plant production has failed to extend green revolution benefits to the difficult climates and extremes of Africa and Asia.
Land use and water available for agriculture across the globe is declining, not growing. Europe continues the paradox of not planting the crops in majority, but 28 different types are approved for food use in Europe because they are safe and Europe consumers use them every day. Europe must address its responsibility to view agricultural biotechnology scientifically and not base such decisions on unscientific skepticism.
The products are approved and judged safe by the food safety authorities in Europe. The use of precaution, banning GMOs on the idea of some future threat, is a poor approach. No difficulty, viewable with quality science that presents results that can be verified, has emerged to challenge the scientific safety of the crops. The threat to the loss of the global food supply through climate change and disease is now too large to ignore the issue and do nothing.
The key speaker is Jack A. Bobo, Senior Advisor for Biotechnology of U.S. Department of State: “We want visitors and readers to see that there are benefits to biotech, not full answers, but benefits to be had from using the technology to help the globe’s poorest farmers cope with diseases and climate change that are affecting their crops, particularly in Africa.“
Biography of Jack A. Bobo
Should you be interested in participating in the conference, please contact Jana Mikulaskova from Department of Agriculture of the U.S. Embassy at Jana.Mikulasova@fas.usda.gov or phone (+420) 257-022-026. The deadline is on Monday, September 14.
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