FAO gM Foods Platformhttp://fao.org/gm-platform

What is the Fao gm Foods PlatForm?The FAO GM Foods Platform is a simple online platform for Codex Members to share information on safety assessments of foods derived from recombinant-DNA plants authorized in accordance with the Codex “Guideline for the conduct of food safety assessment of foods derived from recombinant-DNA plants” (CAC/GL 45-2003, annex III adopted in 2008).

PlatForm managementThe Food Safety and Quality Unit in the Agriculture and Consumer Protection Department of FAO is responsible for management of the FAO GM Foods Platform. Each country is responsible for the accuracy of their information submitted to the Platform.

Figure 1. Platform homepage (http://fao.org/gm-platform/)

highlightsMARCH 2014

hoW it WorksThe FAO GM Foods Platform is freely accessible for those who wish to browse the information. Registration is required for those who wish to upload information. Only officially nominated Focal Points are able to register with the Platform. One Focal Point per FAO Member is officially nominated by the respective country through its Codex Contact Point.

Figure 3. regional share of Platform Focal Points

FAO Members through Codex Contact Points

Platform Focal Points

Registered User

Fill out country profile

Share Official National Information on safety

assessment*

FAO Platform Administrator

Informationpublished

Update profile

* Conducted according to the Codex Guidelines

Update information

Submit data

Approve the format of the data

Create a link to the Platform

Create a link to the Country’s relevant webpage

Nominate focal points

Register to the Platform

Platform activities

Online linkage

Europe 34%Asia 13%

Pacific 5%North America 1%Near East 7%

Latin America and the Caribbean16%

Africa 24%

Figure 2. how the Fao gm Foods Platform works

current status oF the PlatFormAs of 28 February 2014, a total of 131 countries have nominated the Focal Points for the platform and 119 countries have registered. Our aim is to have all 193 countries by the end of this year. Also, 59 countries have completed their country profile page, and the Platform now hosts 297 records.

Fao members that have nominated their Focal Points to the PlatForm (as of 28 February 2014):

Afghanistan, Algeria, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belgium, Benin, Bhutan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Canada, Cape Verde, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Cost Rica, Côte d’Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, DRC Congo, Ecuador, El Salvador, Estonia, Ethiopia, European Union, Finland, France, Gabon, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Islamic Republic of Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lebanon, Liberia, Lithuania, Luxembourg,

Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Russian Federation, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States of America, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Viet Nam, Yemen, Zimbabwe.

Pacific

North America

Near East

Latin America & the Caribbean

Europe

Asia

Africa

0 20 40 60 80 100

38

100

53

64

83

74

65

If your country is not included in the list above, contact your country’s Codex Contact Point to go through the nomination process, or the Platform team at gm-Platform@fao.org to initiate the process. All FAO Members are welcome to join the Platform community.

Figure 4. regional distributions of Platform Focal Points

For more inFormation contact:

Food-Quality@fao.org www.fao.org/food/food-safety-quality/home-page/en/

PlatForm user guideFAO developed the Platform user guide with step-by-step instructions for browsing and uploading the data and information. The user guide is available in the “Resources” section of the Platform.

In the “Resources” section, there are other useful documents that are relevant to the topic of safety assessment of food and feed derived from biotechnology. They include relevant Codex documents as well as FAO training tools for trainers on GM food safety assessment.

Visit http://fao.org/gm-platform to find out moreThe FAO GM Foods Platform is useful when all FAO members participate and share information. Contact gm-Platform@fao.org to find out how to actively participate in the Platform community.

0 50 100 150 200

May 2013

Aug 2013

Nov 2013

Feb 2013

FAO members 193

59

43

22

0

Figure 5. Progress of nomination and registration of Platform Focal Points

Figure 6. Progress of completion of country profiles by Platform Focal Points

May 2013

Aug 2013

Nov 2013

Feb 2014

FAO members

0 50 100 150 200

1818

96

Focal Points nominatedFocal Points registeredFAO members

79

115101

131119

193

The numbers of focal points nominated and registered are consistently increasing. However 62 countries have not nominated Platform Focal Points. FAO aims to achieve the target (193 countries) by the end of 2014.

The number of countries that have completed their country profile is also consistently increasing. However only 30% of FAO Members have uploaded their profiles. All FAO Members are strongly encouraged to complete their country profiles.