Towards sustainable agriculture for developing countries: options from life sciences

The European Group on Life Sciences, an advisory body reporting to European Research Commissioner Philippe Busquin, is inviting stakeholders to discuss the potential of life sciences and biotechnology for sustainable agriculture in developing countries.

This issue will be addressed at a conference in Brussels on 30-31 January 2003. Commissioner Busquin and Commissioner for Development & Humanitarian Aid Poul Nielson will take part in the event, together with representatives of civil society, of developing countries, with development experts, scientists and other players.

The conference will take place at the Charlemagne building, rue de la Loi 170, 1040 Brussels, on 30 January 2003, starting at 10.00 hrs. with an introduction by Commissioner Busquin. The 2-day conference will examine the possible contributions from life sciences in addressing seven key challenges:

• increasing food production under marginal conditions,
• improving the economic viability of food production,
• improving health and nutrition without compromising food safety and the environment,
• reducing poverty through income generation and by creating new markets,
• reducing the use of pesticides,
• providing added value from agrobiodiversity.
• examining how developing countries can become players in the utilisation of new knowledge from genomes.

The full conference programme is available on-line:
The web-site includes a dialogue box for an internet debate on these issues.

A press conference will be held on 30 January at 11:00 in the Charlemagne building, rue de la Loi 170, 1040 Brussels, with Mr Philippe Busquin, Commissioner for Research, and Professor Patrick Cunningham of the European Group for Life Sciences.