The global area planted to biotech crops alone has reached 102 million ha in 2006 from 1.7 million ha in 1996, or a 60-fold increase in a decade. In 2007, biotech crop area grew 12 percent to reach 114.3 million hectares, the second highest area increase in the past five years. The adoption of this crop technology remains the fastest in history (James, 2006).

In addition, farmers are quickly adopting varieties with more than one biotech trait. As of 2007, 12 million farmers are globally enjoying the advantages from the improved technology. Notably, 9 out of 10, or 11 million of the benefiting farmers, were resource-poor farmers. In fact, the number of developing countries (12) planting biotech crops surpassed the number of industrialized countries (11), and the growth rate in the developing world was three times that of industrialized nations (21 percent compared to 6 percent) (ISAAA, 2008).

Given the above trends, biotechnology is touted to ‘feed the world’ and advances in biotechnology, particularly in biotech crops, are widely recognized as tools for promoting agricultural productivity and improved environmental management. After a decade of global adoption of biotech crops, issues on sustainability, equitable access and benefits, environmental and socioeconomic impacts, among others, linger. The concerns are not much to deter the development of biotechnology but much more to ensure that what it promises are delivered.

With the diversity of issues at hand, SEARCA and key partners opt to tackle socioeconomic and environmental impact assessment as a key step in looking at the results of technological change towards strengthening public policy in agricultural biotechnology in developing countries. With careful and rigorous analysis, the information generated from such impact assessment studies will help identify and boost positive impacts as well as minimize potential negative impacts.

After a decade of global adoption of biotech crops, a wealth of experience has been generated from a number of socioeconomic and environmental impact assessment studies that have been conducted on ex-ante and ex-post basis both in the Third World and industrialized countries. This wealth of global experiences will be highlighted and expounded on in this conference.

The conference aims to better understand the methodologies, tools, insights and experiences in examining the impacts of adopting biotechnology applications, particularly biotech crops, on socioeconomic variables such as income, employment, potential substitution of goods, etc. as well as on environmental variables such as biodiversity and sustainability. Along these lines, the conference also would like to examine the factors that encourage or hinder the development and diffusion of new agricultural biotechnologies, and the institutional arrangements and/or policy environment influencing the same.

More specifically, in the context of agricultural biotechnologies particularly biotech crops, the conference hopes to:

• Share North-South and South-South experiences in conducting socioeconomic and environmental impact assessment studies
• Review the potentials and limitations of earlier socioeconomic and environmental impact assessment methodologies;
• Identify different methodological approaches for the assessment of socioeconomic and environmental impacts and those that could be appropriately applied in future studies of agricultural biotechnologies; and
• Identify priority and emerging issues for research, capacity building and doable policy options to strengthen public policy on agricultural biotechnology (especially on biotech crops).

On the first day, the conference will have two keynote messages. The first keynote speaker will provide an overview of the role of biotech crops in future global supply, demand and prices of food, and provide the broad context for the two-day conference.

The second keynote paper will talk about the regional harmonization of biosafety regulations in Southeast Asia, its key issues and challenges, including some focus on the potential economic benefits of harmonization through reduction of regulatory costs, earlier adoption of beneficial varieties of biotech crops, etc.

After the keynote presentations will be five thematic sessions, each with esteemed speakers and featured discussants representing diverse perspectives. An open forum will follow each thematic session.

Session 1: Tools of the Trade: Methodological Tools and Approaches

The first session will discuss about the different tools deployed so far, evaluating the applicability, advantages and disadvantages of these tools. The methodologies to be presented will be at the national or local level (household, farm-level, community, industry, etc), or ex-ante and ex-post assessments. The session hopes to produce recommended methodological tools that can be used in future analysis of the socioeconomic and environmental impacts of agricultural biotechnologies, particularly biotech crops.

Session 2: Scanning the Horizon: Sharing of Experiences in Socioeconomic and Environmental Impact Assessment of Biotech Crops

The second session will present unpublished completed or existing impact assessment studies specific to biotech crops, highlighting results of studies with regional perspectives, i.e. Africa, Southeast Asia, East Asia, Latin America, USA, and EU. It will also present explicit examples of recent case studies from the IFPRI-IDRC project that was conducted in the Philippines, Honduras, Colombia and Bolivia. The presentations will provide an overview of results and a common frame of reference for subsequent discussions.

Session 3: Going Beyond the Technology: Looking at the Sustainability and Human Health and Nutrition Impacts of Biotech Crops

The third session will first discuss the impacts of biotech crops on agricultural sustainability as it refers to the efficient production of food while using less resources – less land, water, energy, fuel, fertilizer, labor, etc. As demand for food increases and availability of resources decreases, there is a growing demand for production systems that increase yield without increasing resource consumption. In this regard, biotech crops could significantly impact on sustainable resource management and future food production, especially in developing countries where input constraints are even more severe.

The second paper will discuss the impact of biotech crops on crop biodiversity, looking at the issue of narrowing the genetic base because of reliance on a limited number of cultivars, as well as gene flow and its impact on biodiversity and the environment. The session will also hear about the potential impacts of biotech crops on human health and nutrition from a study conducted in the Philippines.

Session 4: The X-Factor: The Costs of Biosafety Regulations

The fourth session will discuss emerging biosafety requirements from current international agreements, present notable experiences in designing effective biosafety procedures and policies, and describe an ideal enabling regulatory environment for the safe commercialization of biotech crops. Examples on the cost of compliance with biosafety regulations will be presented as well as its potential impact on the stream of benefits generated by the technology in the hands of farmers.

Session 5: Makeovers: Integrating Results of Socioeconomic and Environmental Impact Assessment into the Decision-making Process

The fifth session will discuss the advantages, disadvantages and issues surrounding the integration of socioeconomic and environmental considerations into biotechnology decision-making, with an emphasis on (but not limited to) biosafety. The speakers will present their past and present experiences where any results/outputs of socioeconomic and environmental impact assessment studies have been integrated into the various levels of decision-making processes. Likewise, opportunities for strengthening the integration process will be shared. Different viewpoints will be solicited hence speakers will discuss, among others, technology development, biotechnology regulation, and public or private sector investment.

The following esteemed speakers have been invited to present their perspectives during the conference:

• Dr. Julian Adams, USAID and Professor of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, and of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan
• Dr. Sergio R. Francisco, Program Leader, Impact and Policy Research, Philippine Rice Research Institute
• Dr. Harvey L. Glick, Director of Scientific Affairs Asia Pacific, Monsanto Singapore Co. (Pte) Ltd.
• Dr. C.D. Mayee, Agricultural Scientist Recruitment Board, Ministry of Agriculture, India
• Dr. Carl E. Pray, Professor and Chair, Department of Agricultural, Food and Resource Economics, Rutgers University
• Dr. Mark W. Rosegrant, Research Fellow and Director, Environment and Production Technology Division, IFPRI
• Dr. Jose M. Yorobe, Jr., Professor, Department of Agricultural Economics, University of the Philippines-Los Baños
• Dr. Jose Falck-Zepeda, Research Fellow, Environment and Production Technology Division, IFPRI

The conference aims to contribute to developing a “standard protocol” for conducting socioeconomic and environmental impact assessment studies of the adoption of agricultural biotechnology products, particularly biotech crops. This protocol will be derived from a synthesis or compilation of “best practices” methodologies, based on the case studies presented and discussed.

Both the compilation of “best practices” methodologies and the “standard protocol” will address the need for better information about the socioeconomic and environmental impacts of farmer adoption of biotech crop varieties, and support appropriate regulatory procedures and policies relating to the said products in Southeast Asia.

The conference will also attempt to come up with three to five priority areas in socioeconomic and environmental impact assessment research, capacity building and doable policy options that will help strengthen public policy specific to biotech crops. It will also identify concerns and recommend mitigating measures to address existing concerns related to products of agricultural biotechnology.

The conference proceedings will be prepared for publication as an edited volume.

Rama Gardens Hotel, Bangkok, Thailand
The Rama Gardens Hotel is strategically located on Vibhavadi Rangsit Road, a convenience area that is accessible to major exhibitions, conventions centers, main business district, and cultural sites in Bangkok, Thailand. The BTS and MRT stations are just few minutes away from the hotel to reach the heart of the city.

The hotel is 30-40 minutes away from the Suvarnabhumi Airport and provides daily shuttle bus for hotel-airport (and vice versa) transfers. Likewise, it provides daily complimentary shuttle bus to downtown shopping centers, Chatuchak (weekend market).

Location Map
(Click on the image to view enlarged location map)

Airport Shuttle Bus Service Schedule
Shuttle Bus Service Schedule

Contracted Accommodation Rates
Participants may opt to stay at the Rama Gardens Hotel with the following contracted room rates:

• Deluxe Room Single Occupancy: Baht 2,100/room/night net (with breakfast)
• Deluxe Room Double Occupancy: Baht 2,500/room/night net (with breakfast)

Participants are requested to coordinate with the organizers for room reservations at the Rama Gardens Hotel.

Hotel Contact Information

Rama Gardens Hotel
9/9 Vibhavadi Rangsit Road, Laksi
Bangkok 10210 Thailand
Telephone (662) 558-7888; 561-0022
Fax (662) 558-7889; 561-1025
E-mail: rama_at_ramagardenshotel.com
URL: http://www.ramagardenshotel.com/

To register, please download the Registration Form below and send to Ms. Roberta V. Gerpacio thru fax +63 (49) 536-4105 or e-mail rvg_at_agri.searca.org:

Registration Form: |
Registration Fee: US$ 80 (lunch and snacks for 2 days, conference kit and materials)

For further details, please contact the Conference Secretariat:

Research and Development Department
Tel. +63 (49) 536-2365 to 67 local 159 / 137
SEARCA, College, Los Baños, Laguna
Fax. +63 (49) 536-4105 / 7097 Philippines 4031
Website: http://www.searca.org

Dr. Mercedita A. Sombilla, Manager
Email: masombilla_at_agri.searca.org

Ms. Roberta V. Gerpacio, Project Development Specialist
Email: rvg_at_agri.searca.org

Ms. Ruby H. Johnson, Administrative Assistant
Email: rhj_at_agri.searca.org