Biotechnology Policy Documents of FAO Members

This webpage of the FAO Biotechnology website brings together biotechnology policy documents from FAO members (currently with 189 Member Nations plus the European Community). The majority are national policy documents, but regional (within country) documents are also included.

Only documents available on the web are included. We provide the title, date and language(s) of the documents, as well as an indication of their size. We welcome any comments and would especially appreciate hearing from you about any missing or new documents (at biotech-website@fao.org).
This page was last updated in July 2008.

[Note, the documents do not tend to address agricultural biotechnology alone. In addition to the application of biotechnology to food and agriculture, most policy documents also tend to consider applications in other areas, such as pharmaceuticals and human health care, chemicals, textiles, mining, energy and environmental services.]

Argentina

Strategic Plan for the Development of Agricultural Biotechnology 2005-2015. Document prepared between June and November 2004 by the Secretariat of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Food (SAGPyA). In Spanish (47 pages, 923 KB) with an English summary.

Australia

Biotechnology strategy for agriculture, food and fibre. Published by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. August 2003. In PDF (926 KB) or WORD (182 KB) format.

Australian Biotechnology: A National Strategy. Launched by the Australian Government in July 2000. 467 KB.

Brazil

Política de Desenvolvimento da Biotecnologia. Decree 6,041 signed by the President of Brazil on 8 February 2007 that creates the National Committee for Biotechnology and outlines a national policy for the sector. In Portuguese (35 pages, 271 KB).

Canada

The Canadian Biotechnology Strategy. 1998. Available in English (23 pages, 204 KB) and French.

Chile

National Biotechnology Policy. Chile: Biotechnology as a Tool for Development and Well-Being. November 2003. 43 pages, in Spanish.

European Community

EU Policy on Biotechnology. 2006. A brochure produced by the European Commission, Environment Directorate-General. 22 pages, 487 KB.

Life sciences and biotechnology - a Strategy for Europe. A strategy and action plan presented by the Commission of the European Communities, January 2002. Available in Danish, Dutch, English (35 pages), Finnish, French, German, Greek, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish and Swedish.

Finland

Strategy for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering in Agriculture. 2003. Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Department of Agriculture. Available in English and Finnish.

India

National Biotechnology Development Strategy. Released by the Department Of Biotechnology, Ministry Of Science and Technology, November 2007.

Biotechnology Policy 2001. Produced by the Department of Industries and Commerce of the Government of Andhra Pradesh, India, April 2001. 27 pages, 1.4 MB.

The Millennium Biotech Policy. 2001. Produced by the Information Technology and Biotechnology Department of the Indian state of Karnataka. 22 pages.

Maharashtra Biotechnology Policy 2001. Produced by the Government of Maharashtra State, India.

Biotechnology Policy of Government of Tamil Nadu. 2000. Produced by the Industries Department of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.

Ireland

Inter-Departmental Group Report on Modern Biotechnology. October 2000. Irish Government Report, Government Publications Office. 232 pages, 650 KB

Jamaica

Biotechnology for Socio-Economic Development: A Policy for Jamaica. Draft developed by the National Commission on Science and Technology, September 2006. 17 pages.

Malaysia

National Biotechnology Policy. Formulated by the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation and launched by the Prime Minister in April 2005. In English, 8 pages, 1.5 MB.

Namibia

National Policy Document: Enabling the Safe Use of Biotechnology. October 1999. Ministry of Higher Education, Vocational Training, Science and Technology; Ministry of Environment and Tourism; Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Rural Development. 23 pages, 1.11 MB. Available in the following languages: English, Afrikaans, Damara, German, Oshiwambo, Rukwangali, Silozi and Otjiherero.

Netherlands

Integral Policy Document on Biotechnology of the Netherlands. Presented by the Government to Parliament in September 2000. Available in Dutch (Integrale nota biotechnologie, 50 pages, 112 KB) and English

New Zealand

New Zealand Biotechnology Strategy. Released by the Government in May 2003. 40 pages, 612 KB.

Nigeria

National policy for biotechnology. Approved by the Federal Government of Nigeria in 2001.

Peru

General law on the development of modern biotechnology in Peru. Approved by the Peruvian congress in July 2006. In Spanish, 8 pages.

South Africa

A National Biotechnology Strategy for South Africa. June 2001. 94 pages, 407 KB.

Thailand

The National Biotechnology Policy Framework (2004-2009). A Framework endorsed in December 2003 by the National Biotechnology Policy Committee, established by the Cabinet in March 2003 and chaired by the Prime Minister. In English, 24 pages, 2.1 MB.

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