[Thanks to M'Hammed Sedrati, Morocco, who points out that, although biotechnologies could play an important role in the animal sector, they need an environment (educational/infra-structural) that is often lacking in developing countries.

NB: Because the conference has been running at a time that is the holiday period for many participants, we have decided to EXTEND it by one week. Thus, the last day for posting of messages in this conference is FRIDAY 18 AUGUST.........Moderator]

This is from M'Hammed SEDRATI, Veterinarian, former Director of Institut Agronomic et veterinaire Hassan II and presently Director of Institut National de Recherche Halieutique, 2 Rue de Tiznit, Casablanca, Morocco. E-mail sedrati@inrh.org.ma

I have been during this period following with attention most of the contributions to the conference on biotechnologies in the animal agriculture sector. Most of them bring facts and realities of the situation in developing countries. All of us recognize the role that could be played by these new technologies in improving productivity and the quality of animal products for the benefit of breeders and consumers. Maybe the actual result are not corresponding to the level of our hopes to face poverty, hunger and malnutrition of about one billion of human beings, but I am sure that in a near future, scientific research will improve these techniques for better results.

But these technologies need an environment that we don't have in developing countries, I mean : education for all, basic infrastructures (electricity, drinkable water, roads, sanitation...). As we all know the level of illiteracy is about 50 to 70% in the rural areas, less than 10% of farmers in developing countries have a technical training. How is the level of investment in scientific and technical research ? Very, very low. Even when we train people in high-techs, they are drained by the developed world who offers them better salaries and appropriate conditions for jobs or research. Thus we are not competitive, and the general environment to develop and use biotechnologies is not achieved.

I am not pessimistic since I believe that the developing world is more and more aware that social development is the basis to reach a minimum level for accessing to all new technologies. So the role of developed countries is to bring the developing world to a social development level that makes our farmers able to introduce biotechnologies in the management of their herds.

I hope that our moderator will make a synthesis of all the ideas that have been brought to the conference and I hope FAO will use these conclusions and take this opportunity to bring them to decision makers.

[To contribute to this conference, send your message to biotech-room3@mailserv.fao.org .The last day for posting messages in this conference is Friday 18 August. For further information on the Electronic Forum on Biotechnology in Food and Agriculture see http://www.fao.org/biotech/forum.asp ]