APEC Members Tackle Developments in Biotech Regulations
Reading Time: < 1 minuteTHE Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), ISAAA, United States Department of State, and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) conducted the first leg of the APEC High-Level Policy Dialogue on Agricultural Biotechnology on April 27 and 28, 2021. The online workshop’s objective was to bring together the APEC member economies to discuss the development of regulatory capacities for […]
Experts Release Guidance on How to Communicate about COVID-19 Vaccine Efficacy
Reading Time: < 1 minuteTHE US National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) released a guidebook for communicating about COVID-19 vaccine efficacy, effectiveness, and efficacy. According to NASEM, effective communication on COVID-19 vaccines is necessary to ensure a shared understanding of how they work and whether they are being equitable distributed. Without this important effort, people may lose faith in […]
Indian Farmers Lose Opportunity to Benefit from Bt Brinjal as GEAC Halts Field Trials
Reading Time: < 1 minuteTHE Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) has ceased the field trials of Bt brinjal and other transgenic crops in India due to the unwillingness of some states to cooperate and with the pressure of some non-governmental organizations. “We are disappointed by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change’s regressive decision to not go ahead with the […]
Scientists Develop Gene-Edited Mosquito to Help Eliminate Malaria
Reading Time: < 1 minuteSCIENTISTS from the Imperial College of London used CRISPR-Cas9 technology to develop gene-edited mosquitoes that could possibly reduce their ability to spread Malaria. Though only a preliminary study has been done, the breakthrough could be used for a gene drive that can provide a new way to reduce illnesses and deaths caused by Malaria. The researchers used CRISPR-Cas9 technology […]
‘No other way to get out of pandemic, except via vaccines’ say, experts
Reading Time: 4 minutesBy Mahaletchumy Arujanan and Saarani THE adverse side-effects after being injected with the Covid-19 vaccines are the biggest public fear at the moment. The fear of developing blood clots and even dying after injection with certain vaccines as seen in several countries and reported in the international media is fresh in the minds of everyone. […]
Kenya’s agricultural reforms set to bolster Bt Cotton commercialisation
Reading Time: 2 minutesRadical reforms in Kenya’s agricultural sector are set to inject fresh impetus to Bt cotton farming in the country, should a fibre crops legislative Bill pass into law. The Government shall be mandated to promote and market fibre crops and products locally and internationally, a development that will invigorate Bt cotton production. The Bill, technically referred to as Fibre Crops Development Authority Bill, seeks to […]
Korean Consumers Prefer Gene Edited Products Over GM, Study Finds
Reading Time: < 1 minuteA RECENT STUDY found that Koreans tend to accept gene-edited (GEd) more than genetically modified (GM) foods. Their level of scientific knowledge is a major factor affecting their choice, thereby highlighting the importance of the availability of relevant information to the public. The study investigated the consumer acceptance of GEd technology and its comparison to GM technology with the aim of classifying the targets […]
NTU Singapore Sheds Light on Link of COVID-19 and Blood Clot Formation
Reading Time: < 1 minuteINDIVIDUALS who have recovered from COVID-19, particularly those who have pre-existing heart ailments, are at risk of developing blood clots because of lingering and overactive immune responses. This is the result of the study conducted by Nanyang Technological University published in eLife. The research team investigated the potential connection of COVID-19 and blood clot formation and provided more […]
Experts Encourage Farmers in Pakistan to Plant Bt Cotton
Reading Time: < 1 minuteAgriculture experts in Pakistan advised growers to plant Bt cotton varieties along with a 10 per cent area of non-Bt cotton crops to save them from pest attacks. Agriculture extension department spokesperson said that the government had set a target of cultivating 200,000 acres with cotton this year and for this purpose, the agriculture department was also providing […]
Experts Highlight Impacts of Agri-biotech Adoption in Vietnam
Reading Time: 2 minutesBiotech maize adoption in Vietnam shows positive impacts of higher productivity, increased farmer income, and environmental improvement, according to the speakers of the webinar Contributions of Agricultural Biotechnology Adoption in Vietnam held in a hybrid event today hosted in Hanoi, Vietnam. Vietnam Seed Trade Association (VSTA), together with the Vietnam Farmers’ Union (VFU), and ISAAA co-organized the webinar attended by […]