PAKISTAN Overview PAKISTAN Geographic Position Same latitude as - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

PAKISTAN Geographic Position

Same latitude as IRAN, North India, North SEA.

PAKISTAN Overview

Area : 88 Mn Ha Population: 180 Mn (1.8% annual growth) GDP Growth: 2.4 % Ag Contribution to GDP: 20-22% Arable Land: 22 Mn Ha

Key crops: M Ha

Wheat 8.0 Cotton 3.5 Rice 2.0 Corn 1.0 Orchards 0.9 Sugarcane 0.9 Sunflower 0.3 Seasons: 4 Climatic Conditions: Temperate to tropical with monsoons

Pakistan Corn Market

• 1 Mil ha (445 Kha Punjab, 550 Kha KPK)
• Corn Consumption 3.8 Mil Tones (approx)
• 64 poultry Feed Mills 2002 => 120 Feed Mills in

2011

• Rafhan had 01 (750 Mt capacity plant) 2000 =>

Rafhan has 03 plants (750 Mt (02) & 550 Mt (01)) 2012

Market Transition -Pakistan

40 100 20 70 Spring 1990 Spring 2010 Autumn 1990 Autumn 2010

* Average Yield taken as per good farmer practices

Regulatory authorities and Biosafety laws

• National Biosafety Guidelines-2005

http://www.environment.gov.pk/act-rules/BiosftyGlines2005.pdf

• Pakistan Biosafety Rules 2005 http://www.environment.gov.pk/act-

rules/Biosftyrules.pdf005

• No additions/amendments made since 2005
• No Calendar of TAC & NBC meetings is available. Meetings are held
• n need basis.
• Ministry Of

Disaster Management (MDM)

National Biosafety Committee (NBC)

• Environment

Protection Agency (EPA)

Technical Advisory Committee (TAC)

Pakistan: Cultivation Approval Process

• Three tier system

– Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) – Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) – National Biosafety Committee (NBC)

• Two stage of field trials

– Small scale confined field trials (FT) – Large scale multi-location open field trials (MLFT)

• Event and variety / hybrid approval system

PROCESS FLOWCHART FOR REVIEW OF APPLICATIONS FOR PERMISSION TO UNDERTAKE LABORATORY, FIELD TRIALS AND COMMERCIAL RELEASE OF GMO’S AND THEIR PRODUCTS

Time lines for trials

Category Official Status of the Number of Years of Trials Variety Gene TAC NBC Total A Notified Known/ Tested 1 1 2 B Candidate Known/ Tested 1 2 3 C Notified New Gene 1 2 3 D Candidate New Gene 2 2 4

Trangenic Crops-Lab & Field Testing In Pakistan

• Corn

– Insect Resistance and herbicide tolerance

• Cotton

– Insect resistance

• Wheat

– Salinity & Drought Tolerance

• Sugarcane

– Smut & red rot disease

• Tobacco

– Insect resistance

Current GM Crop in Pakistan

• Cotton (MON531)

Challenges in Biotech

• Regulatory Challenges:

– Lack of stability in the government/regulatory structure – Lack of motivation among government/regulatory staff – National Biosafety Centre – Lack of coordination amongst regulatory/evaluator dept. i.e. NARC, NBC, NIBGE etc

• Policy Challenges:

– Conducive Policy on commercialization of biotech products to meet the country’s growing food and feed demands and also attract foreign investment. – Political will for commercialization of biotech crop – Enforcement of IPR laws in biotech and seed business

• Awareness & Acceptance Challenges:

– Lack of awareness among stakeholder – Benefits to users

• Challenge by anti-GM groups/individuals: Not science based

Check (Untreated)

Over the Top Spray of Roundup

Aerial View – Seedling Stage

Aerial View – Seedling Stage

Aerial view post tasselling

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