Recent Workshops in Bangladesh and New Educational Resource on Genome Edited Plants

AFSI Newsletter - May 2024

Since 2005, the South Asia Biosafety Program (SABP), managed by the Agriculture & Food Systems Institute (AFSI) since 2009, has facilitated the implementation of transparent, efficient, and responsive regulatory frameworks for products of modern biotechnology in Bangladesh. Genome editing is a technological innovation that enables both precise and efficient targeted modification to accelerate the pace of plant breeding. For research on genome editing to advance toward implementation, it is crucial for current and future researchers to understand national biosafety regulatory processes related to the technology. Continuing its collaboration with the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council (BARC) and Bangladesh Academy of Sciences (BAS), AFSI organized in-person workshops in Dhaka on April 23 and 24, 2024. Leading up to these training activities, AFSI also developed an educational resource about genome edited plants specifically targeted at audiences in the region.

About the Events

Practical Focus

Similar to a previous workshop organized on February 13, 2024, the program focused on the Ministry of Agriculture’s recently drafted “Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for Research and Release of Genome Edited Plants of Categories SDN-1 and SDN-2 in Bangladesh,” with a presentation by AFSI Fellow Dr. Aparna Islam on the SOPs and a talk by Dr. Vibha Ahuja, SABP Senior Advisor, on how to prepare documents for the release of genome edited plants.

Regional Experts

Dr. Kutubuddin Molla from the ICAR National Rice Research Institute delivered talks on genome editing in the context of agriculture and plant breeding and the process and techniques for demonstrating the absence of transgenes. Dr. M.K. Reddy from the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB) discussed the practical considerations when applying genome editing techniques in crops.

Resource on Gene Editing for Researchers in Bangladesh

Drs. Aparna Islam and Vibha Ahuja co-authored Frequently Asked Questions: Genome Edited Plants, which was distributed at both workshops and made available online on April 4, 2024. The booklet provides information about genome edited plants in simple language, so readers may better understand the science, applications, and policies at the global and national levels.

Download the FAQ

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