The International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications' Biosafety Initiative

Biotechnology as a tool for improving agricultural production is a priority for many developing countries. Access to these technologies and the products derived may be limited due to a lack of biosafety regulations. The International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-Biotech Applications' (ISAAA) strategy is to assist developing countries to build their regulatory oversight mechanisms in a flexible approach. Workshops enable scientists and regulators to share their experiences with experts from countries with biosafety regulations in place. ISAAA brokered projects provide the opportunity for scientists involved to implement regulations with the assistance experienced counterparts. Individual country support is targeted at country specific problems that prevent full implementation of regulations. Through ISAAA AfriCenter, Africa has access to the experience and expertise of ISAAA and the network built up.