Vers 18feb12 WB

International Conference on Agriculture and Environment

International Conference on Agriculture and Environment

Producing biomass and economic growth while caring for our environment: A shared vision for the future
Ministerial Conference and Regulation Workshop on Biosafety for Central America and Dominican Republic
At Zamorano University, Honduras, May 912, 2012 Institutional Organizers:
Zamorano University, Honduras IICA Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture

Supporting Institutions:
SAG Ministry of Agriculture & Livestock, Honduras SERNA Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, Honduras USDA Unites State Department of Agriculture IFPRI International Food Policy Research Institute/ Program for Biosafety Systems CNBB National Biotechnology and Biosafety Committee Honduras IRBIO Regional Institute for Biodiversity (Central America), Central American Commission for Environment and Development ISAAA International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications PIPRA Public Intellectual Property Resource for Agriculture, University of California Davis. PRRI Public Research and Regulation Initiative, Brussels CIAT-LAC Biosafety Project International Center for Tropical Agriculture Colombia

Technical Committee:
Mara Mercedes Roca, Ph.D. (Chair), Associate Professor of Biotechnology, Zamorano University, member of CNBB and PRRI (mmroca@zamorano.edu) Jos Falck-Zepeda, Ph.D. Leader of Policy Team, Program for Biosafety Systems, International Food Policy Research Institute and member of PRRI (j.falck-zepeda@cgiar.org). Pedro J. Rocha, Ph.D. Coordinator of Area of Biotechnology and Biosafety, IICA Head Quarters (Pedro.Rocha@iica.int)

Summary
The conference and workshop will foster a dialog for a shared vision in participating countries to implement the necessary policy changes towards agricultural, food/fiber, and energy production systems that successfully meets current and future expectations of producing biomass and creating economic growth, while caring for the environment. Specifically, this event aims to prepare Central American delegations for the MOP6 (Meeting of the Parties) of the Cartagena Protocol (15 October 2012, India) and COP11 of the Convention of Biological Diversity (819 October 2012, India), as well as the Earth Summit, Rio+20 (2022 June 2012, Brazil). The event could have a significant impact on the global discussion on agriculture and the environment, including biotechnology and is part of a series of workshops being implemented in Asia and Africa by different agencies including USDA, ISAAA, IFPRI-PBS and PRRI.

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Background and Justification

The proposed events fulfill national and regional needs identified in several strategic plans. In particular, the need for this type of capacity- and consensus-building is identified in the Convention for Biological Diversity, and the Cartagena Protocol for Biosafety of Biotechnology. At a regional level, the event will satisfy needs identified in the 2010 Central American Environmental Plan (PARCA). Latin America is at the crossroads where agricultural and food/fiber/energy systems converge with poverty, food insecurity and mega bio-diversity. The region as a whole faces significant challenges due to multiple food and energy supply and demand pressures. The agricultural challenge is to produce 80% more food and to preserve ecological habitats by limiting their conversion to arable land where productivity gains must be made while preserving tropical forests and other ecological assets. It is unrealistic to address global food security and nourishment without considering all modern tools for crop improvement, including biotechnology. Decision makers often face conflicting views on policy issues such as the precautionary approach to environmental protection, accelerated agricultural intensification, or the strengthening of commercial and/or subsistence agriculture through innovative technologies such as traditional and modern biotechnology. One of the most important constraints to the biotechnology sector and its ability to deliver appropriate technologies to farmers while ensuring environmental protection is poorly functioning biosafety systems. In recent years, biosafety systems in Central Americaand other Latin American countries are still under construction, despite the capacity building efforts which have been conducted by different organizations (IICA, LAC-Biosafety Project, etc.). Biosafety systems are mandatory to all countries signatories to the Convention on Biological Diversity and to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, but few in the region are operational. In contrast, many countries which are not parties to the Protocol have a functional biosafety system that contributes to their agricultural development and environmental protection efforts. The need exists for Latin America, and particularly Central America and some Andean countries, to start its own discussions to devise a common platform to advance its own interests in international discussions, while introducing innovative approaches to biotechnology development. Such innovation includes establishment/strengthening of centers of excellence and risk assessment bodies and harmonization and/or integration of biosafety approaches and procedures. The proposed regional meeting, which is part of an international effort with meetings also in Africa and Asia, will serve as the foundation to form a harmonized strategy and develop the process of informing, strengthening, and finding such commonalities within the region resulting from national discussions on agricultural and environmental policies and strategies.

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Participant profile and target audiences

The conference and the workshop will be oriented to the SICA member countries. The roster of invited participants includes:

Participant Region/Country

Participant description
Minister for Agriculture* Minister for Environment* Selected specialists on regulation** Mr. Martin Lema (Argentina) Dr. Paulo Paes de Andrade (Brazil) Ms. Ana Luisa Diaz (Colombia) Dr. Ariel Alvarez (Mxico) Dr. Victor Villalobos, Director General, IICA Dr. Roger Beachy, Washington University, USA Dr. Carlos Manuel Rodrguez, Conservation International, USA Dr. Clive James, Executive Director, ISAAA Dr. Pedro Arraes; President of EMPRABA, Brazil Dr Francisco Aragao, Genetic Resources and Biotechnology, EMBRAPA, Brazil Dr. Carlos Borroto, Center for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Cuba Dr. Wayne Parrot, University of Georgia, USA Dr. Jos Falck Zepeda, IFPRI-PBS, USA Dr. Chris Wille, Rainforest Alliance Vice Minister of Environment from Bolivia, members of the AHTEG (AdHoc technical Expert Group) on Risk Assessment of the Cartagena Protocol Representatives from IICA, USDA, CIAT, PIPRA, PRRI, Zamorano University, SAG, SERNA, CNBB, CCAD, diplomatic missions, International Donor Community PIPRA, PRRI

Number of Participants

Conference for Decision Makers (day 1) SICA member countries

Belize, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panam.

40 4

Senior regulators
Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico

International Speakers

International participants

Other invited participants

80 136

Total for day 1

* High ranking officials will be in the event for day 1. ** These will be invited to share their experiences with practical biosafety decision making and to lay the foundation for establishing potential south-south collaborations in regulatory and technical capacity building/strengthening.

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Technical Agenda and Budget The conference will have one day of conference with attending Ministers, followed by a two day workshop aimed at regulators of each participating delegation. The sessions for the workshop will be conducted by experienced regulators from countries in Latin America with more advanced Biosafety systems (Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico). The overall cost of the conference and workshop is estimated at US$100,000. From which, $66,769 will be funded by the agreement USDA/IICA. See Annex 1 for List of Participants; Annex 2 for Budget; Annex 3 for Proposed Program. Organizing Committee (in addition to the Technical Committee on Page 1):
Oliver Komar, Ph.D., Director, Regional Institute of Biodiversity for Central America, and Department of Environment and Development, Zamorano University (okomar@zamorano.edu). Arie Sanders, M.Sc., Director, Department of Environment and Development, Zamorano University (asanders@zamorano.edu). Rogelio Trabanino, M.Sc. Associate Professor of Entomology, Head of the Biological Control Program, Zamorano University and member of CNBB (rtrabanino@zamorano.edu). Ricardo Lardizabal, M.Sc. Advisor to the Minister of Agriculture (Honduras) and member of CNBB. Irina Pineda, Advisor to the Minister of Environment (Honduras), (coopextserna@yahoo.com). Carlos Almendares, Ph.D. Head, Seed Certification Department, Ministry of Agriculture, Honduras; Focal Point for the Cartagena Protocol and member of CNBB (calmendares81@yahoo.com). Gustavo Crdenas, Ph.D. Representative IICAs Office in Honduras (Gustavo.Cardenas@iica.int). Bryan Muoz, M.Sc. Specialist in Biotechnology and Biosafety, IICA Head Quarters (Bryan.Munoz@iica.int).

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Annex 1. Proposed program Agriculture and Environment Producing biomass and economic growth while caring for our environment: A shared vision for the future

DAY 1, May 9, 2012: Ministerial Conference

7:30 8:30AM 8:30 8:45AM Registration Welcome Dr. Roberto Cuevas Garca, Rector, Zamorano Honorable President of the Republic of Honduras, Porfirio Lobo Sosa Dr. Victor Villalobos, Director General (IICA)

8:45 9:45AM

Official Opening

9:45 10:15AM 10:15 10:30AM

Break and Photo Sustainability and the new agricultural production paradigm: Constraints, gaps and opportunities for Central and Latin America Mr. Jacobo Regalado. Secretario de Estado en el Despacho de Agricultura y Ganadera, (Honduras) Dr. Rigoberto Cuellar. Secretario de Estado en el Despacho de Recursos Naturales y Medio Ambiente (Honduras)

10:30 10:45AM

Protecting the Environment and Sustainable Agriculture in the Central American context

10:45 11:25AM

Topics: Harnessing Technological Advances in Agriculture: R&D Lessons for Latin America Experiences from the public R&D sector developing products for the South Topics: A shared vision in Agriculture and Environment Convention of Biological Diversity: Points of convergence with agriculture Q&A Lunch

Dr. Roger Beachy, Washington University, St. Louis (USA)

11:25AM 12:05PM

Dr. Carlos Manuel Rodrguez, Conservation International (USA)

12:05 12:30PM 12:30 14:00PM

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14:00 15:30PM

Discussion Panel I : Commercial application of GM crops Experiences of countries with practical biosafety regulatory experience (14:00-15:20) Honduras: (GM corn) Mexico (GM corn) Cuba: (GM corn) USA : (GM soy & cotton) Discussion session

Moderator Dr. Mara Mercedes Roca, Zamorano, Honduras. Dr. Carlos Almendares Dr. Ariel Alvarez Dr. Carlos Borroto Dr. Wayne Parrot

15:30 16:00PM 16:00 17:00PM

Break Discussion panel II: Regulatory Systems Convention of Biological Diversity: Points of convergence with agriculture and environment Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety: Points of convergence with agriculture and environment. Dr. Oliver Komar, Zamorano, (Honduras) Dr. Jos Falck-Zepeda, IFPRIPBS (USA)

(16:00 16:20PM) (16:20 16:40PM) (16:40 17:00PM)

Discussion session The potential for South-South collaborations in Biotechnology: what do we need to make this happen. Dr. Pedro Antonio Arraes, Director EMBRAPA (Brazil)

17:00 17:40PM

Questions for panelists and public discussion 17:40 18:00PM 18:00 20:00PM Dinner at Zamorano

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DAY 2, May 10, 2012: Regulation Workshop

8:00 8:10AM Welcome and Introduction Key-note address: The potential of biotechnology to strengthen sustainable agriculture Experiences of countries: Brazil (GM bean & sugarcane) Argentina (GM soybean & cotton) Costa Rica ( GM pineapple & banana) Break Key-note address: History of the CBD and Topics on the agenda of Rio+20 Key issues for discussion/negotiations in COP 11. India Dr. Pedro Rocha, IICA (Costa Rica)

8:10 9:10AM

Dr. Clive James, ISAAA (USA)

9:10 10:15AM

Dr. Francisco Aragao (Brazil) Dr. Maritn Lema (Argentina) Dr. Alex May (Costa Rica)

10:00 10:40AM 10:40 11:20AM

Dr. Chris Wille, Sustainable Agriculture Program. Rainforest Alliance. (USA) Ms. Margarita Salazar, CCAD (Central American Commission of Environment and Development, El Salvador). Dr. Jos Falck-Zepeda, IFPRI-PBS (USA)

11:20-11:40AM

11:40AM 12:00PM 12:00 13:00PM 13:00 13:15PM 13:15 16:00PM

Key issues for discussion/negotiations in MOP6 Lunch Workshop methodology Discussion groups and plenary Agricultural policy and environmental sustainability Strategies for collaboration in International Fora Research role in food security and sustainability Break Discussion Panel III: Interpretation and implementation of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety

Dr.Jos Falck-Zepeda, IFPRI-PBS Moderator: Dr. Jose FalckZepeda

15:45 16:00PM 16:15 17:30PM

Dr. Martin Lema (Argentina) Dr. Paulo Paez (Brazil) Dr. Ana Luisa Diaz (Colombia) Dr. Carlos Almendares (Honduras) Dr. Ariel Alvarez (Mexico) Dr. Jose Falck (USA)

17:30PM

End of session

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DAY 3, May 11, 2012: Regulation Workshop

8:00 9:00AM Article 15 of the CPB : Risk Assessment General introduction to Risk Assessment Risk Analysis Risk Management Risk Communication The AHTEG and options of Risk Assessment Guides Options for national implementation Article 26 of the CPB: Socio-economic considerations General Introduction to socio-economic considerations Assessment of socio-economic impacts Options for implementation

Dr. Paulo Paes (Brazil) Dr. Mara Mercedes Roca, (Honduras)

9:00 10:00AM

Dr. Jos Falck-Zepeda (USA) Dr. Gerardo Gallego (Colombia)

10:00 10:30PM 10:30AM 11:15PM

Break Article 27 of the CBP: Liability and Redress. General introduction to liability Nagoya Supplementary Protocol Implications for national implementation Complementary instruments Q&A Closing Ceremony & Lunch Field trip in Zamorano campus to visit GM maize plots Break Visit to 3 bioscience labs in Zamorano Next steps Closure of Regulation Workshop

Dr. Martn Lema (Argentina) Dr. Ariel Alvarez (Mexico)

11:15 12:00PM 12:00 13:30PM 13:30 15:30PM 15:30 16:00PM 16:00 17:00PM 17:00 17:30PM

* DAY 4: An additional half day session on Saturday march 12, will be planned for senior regulators, international scientist and CNBB members for strategic planning of next steps.