Transcript Country Report The Status of Biotechnology/Biosafety

Country Report
(1)
The Status of Biotechnology/Biosafety Regulation in Indonesia
with Emphasis on Public Participation and Awareness
Widiati H. Adil
Indonesian Center for Agricultural Biotechnology and Genetic Resources
Research and Development,
Jl. Tentara Pelajar No. 3a, Bogor 16111,
Indonesia
Development of Biotechnology
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Formulation of the national biotechnological
program is in 1983, and followed by a slow
progress of its development due to economic
constraints.
At present there are several public as well as
private institutions conducting research on
biotechnology related to agriculture, industry, and
pharmacy.
Research activities on genetically modified crop
for food, horticultural, and industrial commodities
are receiving more attention due to their economic
potentials.
Progress on Biosafety Regulation (1)
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The first biosafety regulation has been issued by
the Ministry of Agriculture in 1997 as decree No.
85 Kpts/hk.330/9/1997.
In 1999 the decree has been updated to a joint
decree of four ministries, namely the Ministry of
Agriculture, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of
Forestry and Estate, and the State Ministry of Food
and Horticulture.
In the 1999 decree, the tasks of the existing
Committee for Biosafety that has been set up in
1997 were expanded to handle not only agricultural
products but also other commodities such as
industrial products.
Progress on Biosafety Regulation (2)
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In exercising its mandate the Committee is
supported by technical teams consisting of
experts in the relevant disciplines associated with
biotechnology.
The committee, with the help of the technical
teams, has drawn up a series of guidelines to
evaluate the biosafety of GM products.
These include a general guidelines for GM products
and three specific ones, respectively for GM
products of plant, animal, and microbial origin.
Because of its importance, guidelines for
respectively food and feed evaluation were
subsequently drafted
Public Participation and Awareness (1)
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To accommodate public participation in the
evaluation and release of GM products, the
government has included a clause in a new draft of
legislation, which is still in preparation, stipulating
that the National Biosafety Committee has to
publish the results of its evaluation in public
media.
Biosafety Clearing House is one of requested
manner to be fulfilled by the country which is
ratified Cartagena Protocol.
Indonesia has been signed this protocol and plan
to ratify it in the near future.
Public Participation and Awareness (2)
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Biosafety Clearing House Indonesia is basically
follow the guidance from CBD’s BCH Central Portal
but may include some unique parts to match local
requirements.
Only Indonesian version is currently available for
browsing. English version is still under preparation.
BCH Indonesia website has been established and
launched on the Internet since 11 March 2003.
The URL address is,
 http://www.bchindonesia.org/
Public Participation and Awareness (3)
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The website contains,
• Introduction to BCH Indonesia
• Regulation
• Guidelines
• Domestic decisions (released GM products
in Indonesia)
• Contact address of BCH Indonesia
• Roster of experts
• Discussion forum
• Related scientific papers
• Link