Bangladesh is predominantly an agriculture driven country, with more than 80% of the population depending on it for its survival, therefore biotechnology in Bangladesh is synonymous with the agri-biotech sector. Biotechnology has chiefly been looked upon as an aid to achieve and sustain the country's food and nutrition security. Rice is the staple food for the Bangla population, but drought and salinity problems result in yield losses of as high as 25%- 35%.
To maximize yields the country's agri-biotechnology sector is focusing on development of genetically modified crops with improved resistance. There are 18 different crops currently under research including saline tolerant rice, blight resistant potato, Bt-eggplant, and Bt chickpea. A number of institutes are also using tissue culture techniques for mass production of seedlings especially of commercial crops such as potato, banana, papaya and even certain varieties of ornamental crops like Orchids or Medicinal plants such as neem. Considerable development is also occurring in the Animal Biotechnology sector for developing differentvarieties of fish, development of biologics to successfully treat infectious diseases and vaccine development for diseases like foot and mouth disease.
According to the World Bank's South Asia Enterprise Development Facility, the Medicinal plants market in Bangladesh has been estimated at US$ 14 million each year. It is estimated that about 500 medicinal plants grow in Bangladesh, including turmeric, neem, aloe vera, garlic, mint and others. Although there is an abundant reserve of medicinal plants, cultivation and growth is largely sourced from the wild. There is an absence of commercial farming of these plants, and as a result more than 90% of raw materials are imported from neighboring countires such as India and Nepal. Similarly there is an absence of government policies and regulations for growth, conservation and marketing of medicinal plants in Bangladesh. Thus the conservation, growth and development of medicinal plants have been undertaken by NGOs, and local organizations like the Development of Biotechnology and Environmental Conservation Centre.
In the medical biotechnology sector there is a considerable lack of research and development initiatives. Biomedical research is carried out only at a handful of institutes, prominent one being the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh. The centre is actively supported by the UN and multinational pharmaceutical companies. There is limited but significant product development in molecular diagnostics, vaccines and new drug development.
Majority of research initiatives have been undertaken at the government funded universities and research institutes, such as the National Institute of Biotechnology and the Botany & Biochemistry Departments at Dhaka University are in the forefront of research. However majority of the research work is carried out by individual scientists in a fragmented manner, and there is an absence of cohesive effort. Similarly, attempts at commercial exploitation of the same have been limited by the absence of comprehensive use of genetic engineering techniques for the benefit of the agri-biotech sector.
Pitfalls of biotech development
Where on the one hand there is an increasing interest in development initiatives in the agri-biotechnology sector, it has also been plagued by concerns about the potential risks and hazards posed to the environment. The so called Green Revolution in Bangladesh- an outcome of the use of hybrid seeds, high use of pesticides and irrigation has proved to be more profitable for the agrochemical industry rather than the farmers. Recent years have also witnessed silent lobbying by powerful multinationals to encourage the use of genetically engineered seeds.
High-yielding varieties are known to attract pests more than their natural counterparts, thereby increasing dependence on pesticides. Although these help to improve the yields, they are known to adversely impact the seed base and soil fertility. Similarly concerns also stem from the multinational companies claiming ownership of the seeds from crops under cultivation. In the absence of a well regulated framework governing use of GM crops, these factors adversely affect the both the population at large and the farming community and also pose significant threat to the environment. Due to lack of regulatory framework, agri-biotech based crops have not been approved for commercial cultivation, thereby defeating the very purpose of the agri-biotech development in Bangladesh.
Outlook
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, in conjunction with the United Nations Development Program assessed the biotechnology development in Bangladesh, based on which the government has formulated a National Program for Biotechnology, which proposes to:
1. Establish and implement appropriate policies
2.Strengthen Investment, Institutional and Market support
3.Integrate Research and development
4.Develop Strategies and Partnerships
On 19th July 2006, the National Biotechnology policy came into force after being approved by the National Taskforce for Biotechnology in Bangladesh. The aim of the policy is to increase the food security, alleviate poverty and ensure health and nutrition for all. National guidelines for Fish, Animal and Medical Biotechnology, have also been formulated along with Bio-safety guidelines. Some of the highlights of the National Program for Biotechnology are:
1.Enabling regulatory framework: for TRIPS compliance, biosafety regulations and management of IPR issues
2.Enabling Infrastructure: Augmentation of state-
f-the-art infrastructure with suitable capacities, relevant HR development and encouraging public-private partnerships
3.Enabling biotechnology programs: Development of transgenics with improved nutritional values resistant to both biotic and abiotic stress, recombinant vaccine development, biocontrol of pets and diseases and improved commercialization of technology.
4.A first time budgetary allocation for biotechnology in its national budget.
With these protocols in place, the hitherto nascent biotechnology industry and particularly the agri-biotech industry in Bangladesh is expected to deliver the promise it holds. However it needs a sustained all round implementation of these policies and ultimately the delivery of the technology at an affordable price, so as to successfully achieve the aim of making Bangladesh self-sufficient with respect to its food and nutrition requirements.
(Dr Jayashree Mapari is Industry Analyst, Healthcare Practice at Frost & Sullivan, India.The Author can be
contacted through: sthomas@frost.com)