summary of curreant and future biotechnology development in the caribbean malachy dottin...

SUMMARY OF CURREANT AND FUTURE BIOTECHNOLOGYSUMMARY OF CURREANT AND FUTURE BIOTECHNOLOGY

DEVELOPMENT IN THE CARIBBEAN

Malachy Dottin

Biotechnologist

Director of Research & Biotech Laboratory

Ministry of Agriculture, Grenada W. I

SUMMARY OF CURRENT AND FUTURE BIOTECHNOLOGY SUMMARY OF CURRENT AND FUTURE BIOTECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT IN THE CARIBBEANDEVELOPMENT IN THE CARIBBEAN

Contents The challenge

The Status of Biotechnology

The Potential benefits to the Region

Applications with the greatest potential and future development

Conclusion

Recommendation

The The challengechallenge

Throughout history, innovation has driven progress and Throughout history, innovation has driven progress and helped helped people address the problem of the age. This progress people address the problem of the age. This progress has not been achieved without pain and controversy, at times has not been achieved without pain and controversy, at times war and famine and pestilence thwart our best endeavors. war and famine and pestilence thwart our best endeavors.

Despite setbacks, people in the world over continue to strive Despite setbacks, people in the world over continue to strive to to understand the natural world, to pursue truth and beauty, understand the natural world, to pursue truth and beauty,

and to create a better world for themselves and their and to create a better world for themselves and their children. children.

The task of Caribbean scholars of today is to analyze where Plant Biotechnological can lead to technical innovation and how these can be used wisely:

To improve agriculture productivity,

Conserve nature resources,

Create wealth especially for poor people in developing countries.

Science has a role to play in all these pursuits. However, the very power of the new discoveries in the biological sciences raises fears that these discoveries will not be used wisely.

Many believe that they will accelerate the destruction of the natural environment.

Damage human health.

Concentrate too much power in the hands of a few global companies.

Widen the gap between the rich and the poor, within and between nations.

The task of Caribbean scholars of today is to analyze where modern science can lead to technical innovation and how these can be used wisely,

To improve agricultural productivity,

Conserve natural resources,

Create wealth especially for poor people in developing countries.

The Status of The Status of Biotechnology in the Biotechnology in the

CaribbeanCaribbean First Generation 1980- 1995 First Generation 1980- 1995

The first generation uses genetic information to speed up The first generation uses genetic information to speed up and and improve conventional plant. improve conventional plant.

Higher crop yields:Higher crop yields: Reduced farm costsReduced farm costs

Increased farm profitIncreased farm profit

Improvement in the environment.Improvement in the environment.

Flexibility in crop managementFlexibility in crop management

Second Generation 1995 - Second Generation 1995 -

The second (and more advanced) modifies the genetic pattern of a The second (and more advanced) modifies the genetic pattern of a

plant or animal to create a new organism plant or animal to create a new organism. .

Transgenic crop that will feature increased nutritional and Transgenic crop that will feature increased nutritional and

industrial traits:industrial traits:

Yam enriched with higher starch contentYam enriched with higher starch content

Maize varieties able to grow in poor condition Maize varieties able to grow in poor condition

Countries Institution Genetic Engineering

Molecular biology

Micro-propagation

Jamaica SIR

Mona

Surinam MOA

Guyana MOA

Trinidad UWI

Barbados UWI

MOA

Grenada MOA

St Vincent MOA

St Lucia

List of countries participating in biotechnology programs in the Caribbean

STATUS OF BIOTECHNOLOGYSTATUS OF BIOTECHNOLOGYIN THE ANGLOPHONE CARIBBEANIN THE ANGLOPHONE CARIBBEAN

ST. AUGUSTINEST. AUGUSTINE Agricultural biotechnologyAgricultural biotechnology

– plant and pathogen geneticsplant and pathogen genetics» development of transformation systems for development of transformation systems for

introducing disease resistance to cocoa, sugar introducing disease resistance to cocoa, sugar cane and modified color range in anthuriumcane and modified color range in anthurium

» isolation and characterization of genes regulating isolation and characterization of genes regulating abcission and biosynthesis of flavonoids and starchabcission and biosynthesis of flavonoids and starch

» development and use of reporter gene systems to development and use of reporter gene systems to monitor GMO’s in the environmentmonitor GMO’s in the environment

» development of molecular diagnostic systems for development of molecular diagnostic systems for tropical plant diseasestropical plant diseases

» DNA fingerprinting of cocoa cultivars and varietiesDNA fingerprinting of cocoa cultivars and varieties

‘‘


– in vitroin vitro micropropagation micropropagation» development of tissue culture development of tissue culture

regeneration systems for tropical crops regeneration systems for tropical crops including banana, breadfruit, pawpaw, including banana, breadfruit, pawpaw, pineapple, carambola, helicona, pineapple, carambola, helicona, anthurium, orchids to allow for mass anthurium, orchids to allow for mass propagation of disease-free planting propagation of disease-free planting materialsmaterials

STATUS OF BIOTECHNOLOGY IN THE STATUS OF BIOTECHNOLOGY IN THE ANGLOPHONE CARIBBEANANGLOPHONE CARIBBEAN


– microbial pesticidesmicrobial pesticides» development of microbial sprays for development of microbial sprays for

control of ticks and insect pestcontrol of ticks and insect pest– animal husbandryanimal husbandry

» bioengineering of gut-inhabiting bacteria bioengineering of gut-inhabiting bacteria to improve digestibility of forage in to improve digestibility of forage in ruminantsruminants


ST. AUGUSTINEST. AUGUSTINE Industrial biotechnologyIndustrial biotechnology

– fermentation biotechnologyfermentation biotechnology» development of new foods, enzymes and development of new foods, enzymes and

industrial chemicals using fermentation industrial chemicals using fermentation technologytechnology

» development and modification of process development and modification of process parametersparameters

STATUS OF BIOTECHNOLOGY IN THE STATUS OF BIOTECHNOLOGY IN THE ANGLOPHONE CARIBBEANANGLOPHONE CARIBBEAN ST. AUGUSTINEST. AUGUSTINE Medical biotechnologyMedical biotechnology

– molecular epidemiologymolecular epidemiology» genetic characterization of maturity onset genetic characterization of maturity onset

diabetes in Trinidad and Tobagodiabetes in Trinidad and Tobago» molecular characterization of dengue molecular characterization of dengue

subtypes towards better management of subtypes towards better management of dengue epidemicsdengue epidemics

» molecular characterization and subtyping molecular characterization and subtyping rabies isolates in Trinidad and Tobagorabies isolates in Trinidad and Tobago

» analysis of polymorphic human response analysis of polymorphic human response genes genes

STATUS OF BIOTECHNOLOGY IN THE STATUS OF BIOTECHNOLOGY IN THE ANGLOPHONE CARIBBEANANGLOPHONE CARIBBEAN CAVE HILLCAVE HILL Agricultural biotechnologyAgricultural biotechnology

– plant and pathogen geneticsplant and pathogen genetics» identification and development of several disease identification and development of several disease

resistance genes in varieties of pepper and tomato in resistance genes in varieties of pepper and tomato in Barbados and the Organization of Eastern Caribbean Barbados and the Organization of Eastern Caribbean StatesStates

» implementation of a successful molecular strategy for implementation of a successful molecular strategy for control of a debilitating yam disease in Barbadoscontrol of a debilitating yam disease in Barbados

» development of pathogen detection systems based development of pathogen detection systems based on serology or nucleic acid probeson serology or nucleic acid probes

» characterization of genes controlling proline characterization of genes controlling proline biosynthetic pathway with the aim of engineering biosynthetic pathway with the aim of engineering plants resistance to abiotic stressplants resistance to abiotic stress


CAVE HILLCAVE HILL Agricultural biotechnologyAgricultural biotechnology

– in vitroin vitro micropropagation micropropagation» mass of propagation of disease-free mass of propagation of disease-free

tissue culture anthurium planting tissue culture anthurium planting materialsmaterials

Medical biotechnologyMedical biotechnology– human pathogen diagnosticshuman pathogen diagnostics

» development of PCR-based protocols for development of PCR-based protocols for identifying Leptospira.identifying Leptospira.


MONAMONA Agricultural biotechnologyAgricultural biotechnology

– plant and pathogen geneticsplant and pathogen genetics» cloning and sequencing of Gemini viruses cloning and sequencing of Gemini viruses

genesgenes» transgenic control of viral diseases of transgenic control of viral diseases of

papaya papaya – in vitroin vitro micropropagation micropropagation

» genetic diversity and genetic diversity and in vitroin vitro tuberization tuberization of yamof yam


MONAMONA Medical biotechnologyMedical biotechnology

– human pathogen diagnosticshuman pathogen diagnostics» molecular diagnosis of HIVmolecular diagnosis of HIV» development of HIV vaccinesdevelopment of HIV vaccines» detection of current nervous system detection of current nervous system

virusesviruses

FUTURE DEVELOPMENTSFUTURE DEVELOPMENTS

Developments in modern biotechnology

Agronomic applications

Food quality and public health

Medicinal applications

Industrial applications

A policy to promote further use of A policy to promote further use of BiotechnologyBiotechnology

Conclusion

1 The need to produce sufficient food for the Caribbean population is urgent, compelling, and complementary to improving human health.

2 Requirement for international standards, regulation and legislation need to be put in place to deal with the issue of the release and determination of the risk of GMO

3 Developing countries need to develop knowledge capabilities, the human resources and the appropriate infrastructure to address the issue of the release of GMO as it relates to human and animal health, the environment, international trade and treaties on international trade.

RecommendationRecommendation

1 Research needs to respond to these challenges, so as to improve the livelihood of the rural poor and ensure the increased availability of nutritious food at affordable prices for the urban poor.

2 The need for a comprehensive cost /benefits analysis and health impact assessment of GMO.

3 Determination of the effect of GMO on farming practices

4 Segregation of GM foods at source to enable identification and traceability of GM product this would facilitate monitoring in the interest of public health.

5 Comprehensive assessment to determine if GM crop with pesticide and herbicide resistance resulting an increase or decrease in the use of these agri-chemicals

6 Long- term studies to determine the environment, the food chain, and the fate of metabolic transgenic DNA in humans and animal.

7 Socio- economic, culture impact assessments

8 Implication for world trade and world agreements

References References

1 Delgado, C., M. Rosegrant, H. Steinfeld, S.Ehui, and C. Courbois. 1999. Livestock to 2020: The Next Food Revolution.

2 Dottin, M 2000. Oral Vaccines Future in Medicinal application. No 23 Havana Cuba

3 FAO. 1996. In Investment in Agriculture: Evolution and Prospects. World Food Summit Technical Background Document .No. 10

4 Hollingsworth, W 1998. Release of Genetically modified materials in the Caribbean.

5 Mc Calla, A.F. 1998. The challenge of Food security in the 21st Century Montreal, Quebec: Convocation Address, Faculty of Environment Sciences, Mc Gill University

6 Pinstrup-Andersen, P., R. Pandya-Lorch and M.W Rosegrant. 1999. World food Prospect: Critical Issues for the early Twenty-First Century. Washington, D.C. International Food policy Research Institute.

7 World Bank. 1997. World Development Report 1997. The World bank Oxford University Press.

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