A new focus in AGPCs work is development of decision support systems and tools for policymakers and agricultural producers.
Following requests from FAO Member Governments, AGPC is assists developing countries in harnessing plant biotechnology for sustainable crop production, food security and poverty alleviation. The Service led an FAO study on the potential impacts of Genetic Use Restriction Technologies (GURTs) on agrobiodiversity and agricultural production systems, contributed to an FAO/World Bank case study, The potential of agricultural biotechnology, and has published a guide for policy-makers in Africa on biotechnology issues.
A decision support system (DSS) dealing with biosafety was developed jointly with ISNAR in consultation with UNEP-GEF. This DSS was introduced in 2003 to participants to regional and subregional meetings of UNEP-GEF in Eastern Europe, Africa and Asia. The system is also being used as the basis for a country study in Kenya.
Other tools for decisionmakers include Crop Biotech Bites, an online publication aimed at giving policy-makers a clear overview of the implications of new technologies.
AGPC is working with research and development organizations in several countries to improve farmers' access to technical guidelines on organic production. Initial steps in this area include development of integrated decision support systems for farmers on organic cultivation of specific crops.
| | |
|
Resources
Decision support tools
