1. Terms of Reference
2. Programme of Work
3. The Panel
TERMS OF REFERENCE, PROGRAMME OF WORK AND PANEL MEMBERSHIP
The Panel on General Issues in Biotechnology was given the following terms of reference:
The Panel will:
1. Identify issues of major concern to the CGIAR that will facilitate positioning the CGIAR in the global agricultural research system.2. Provide advice and guidelines on immediate or long-term needs with respect to: comparative advantage analysis; risk management; strategic alliances; and strategy and resources.
3. Prepare a draft strategy on biotechnology for the CGIAR, taking into consideration needs of the Centres and stakeholders, identifying options for the strategic involvement of the CGIAR in the use of biotechnological approaches to solving problems relative to its mission.
4. Prepare a report and recommendations to be presented to TAC for commentary and for consideration by the Group at its mid-term meeting scheduled for May 25-29, 1998.
An initial meeting of the Panel was held in Singapore on 21 September 1997. Six Panel members (Flavell, Dryden, Quail, Toenniessen, Uchimiya and Zhang) were able to attend, together with Tim Roberts (Chairman of the panel on proprietary issues). Dr Roca (CIAT) and Dr Bennett (IRRI) joined this group for part of the meeting.
Discussion at the meeting led to drawing up a framework for the study and formulating ten questions that were used for a survey conducted by mail and telephone early in 1998. The initial responses to these ten questions provided background information for the second Panel meeting held in New York on 26 - 27 January. This meeting was attended by nine Panel members (Flavell, Dryden, Padmanaban, Toenniessen, Goodman, ole-Moi Yoi, Seitzer, Uchimiya and, through a conference telephone, Altieri). The Panel Secretary also attended.
The meeting identified the issues to be included in the report and reached consensus on the main conclusions. Thereafter, the work was continued through correspondence, mainly by e-mail.
Professor Richard B. Flavell (Chair),
Director, John Innes Centre,
Norwich Research Park,
Colney,
Norwich, Norfolk NR4 7UH, UK
Dr. R. N. (Sam) Dryden,
Big Stone Partners,
1634 Walnut Street,
Suite 301, 1630 Linden Drive,
Boulder, CO 80302-5400 USA
Dr. Michael Hansen,
Research Associate,
Consumer Policy Institute,
101, Truman Avenue,
Yonkers, NY 10703-1057, USA
Professor Govindarajan Padmanaban,
Director,
Indian Institute of Science,
Bangalore 560 012,
India
Professor Jozef Schell,
Max-Planck-Institut für Züchtungsforschung,
Carl-von-Linne-Weg 10,
D-50829 Köln,
Germany
Dr. Gary Toenniessen,
The Rockefeller Foundation,
420 Fifth Avenue,
New York,
NY 10018 USA
Professor Qifa Zhang,
National Key Lab. of Crop Genetic Improvement,
Huazhong Agricultural University,
Wuhan 430070,
China
Professor Miguel A. Altieri,
Professor of Agroecology,
ESPM-Center for Biological Control,
201 Wellman Hall # 3112,
Berkeley, CA 94720-3112, USA
Professor Robert M. Goodman,
Chair, Undergraduate Program in Molecular
Biology,
Russell Laboratories, Room 687 A,
University of Wisconsin,
Madison, WI 53706, USA
Dr. Onesmo ole-Moi Yoi,
Biochemistry/Molecular Biology
Laboratory,
c/o ILRI - PO Box 30709,
Nairobi, Kenya
Professor Peter H. Quail,
Director of Research,
Plant Gene Expression Center,
800 Buchanan Street,
Albany, CA 94710, USA
Dr. Josef-Franz Seitzer,
KWS Kleinwanzlebener Saatzucht AG,
Grimsehlstr. 31,
37574 Einbeck,
Germany
Professor Hirofumi Uchimiya,
Institute of Molecular and Cellular
Biosciences,
University of Tokyo,
Yayoi, Bunkyou-ku,
Tokyo 113, Japan
Dr. Michael H. Arnold (Panel Secretary),
"Hamlec",
4 Shelford Road,
Whittlesford,
Cambridge, CB2 4PG, UK
