Although biotechnology has been in use for years, there are still fears about its side effects. The Citizen Reporter, Sturmius Mtweve, had an interview with Open Forum on Agricultural Biotechnology in Africa (Ofab) country coordinator Philbert Nyinondi on the role, contribution and challenges of biotechnology use in Tanzania. Excerpts…
QUESTION: Briefly explain what Ofab is. Why is it here in Tanzania right now?
ANSWER: Ofab Tanzania is the Chapter of the Open Forum on Agricultural Biotechnology in Africa (Ofab), which was established and launched in 2009 by the ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Cooperatives as a platform to facilitate regular exchange of credible information among stakeholders.
It is a collaborative programme between the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF) and the Tanzania Commission for Science and Technology (Costech), which is the host.
Ofab Tanzania aims at identifying key biotech issues and stakeholders for effective outreach and informed engagement by enhancing knowledge sharing and awareness to raise understanding and appreciation of potential benefits of agricultural biotechnology and contribute to building an enabling environment for informed decision-making for both policy makers and members of the public.
The Chapter is managed by a programming committee, representing Costech, Tropical Pesticide research Institute (TPRI), Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA), Mikocheni Agricultural Research Institute, a farmers’ representative, Nelson Mandela African Institute of Science and technology, a media houses’ representative and the ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Cooperatives. Read Q&A
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