South Korea Allocates $260m for Biotech Research

South Korea says it will be seventh - instead of 14 - in global ranking of biotechnology by 2010. There are plans to set up 600 biotechnology venture firms by the end of 2003. Research and development into DNA, protein and bio-information has been allocated $260m.

I wanted to start by this article to show how the world is looking for biotechnology as essential need that made a new coming country like South Korea allocates $260m for biotech research, and as known to everybody that south korea is not as rich as African countries,the African continent has the abilities to be the first continent in the world and to be the leaders of the human being all what she needed was to look for collaboration and leave confrontations, just to think in her destiny, leave our conflicts and try to be one community, that is our message:

{Looking for a better life}

And that doesn't mean that all African countries are closing their eyes off this situation and here there are some examples of countries using biotechnology to handle their problems:

Uganda is still considered very pragmatic and innovative when it comes to research, development and acquisition of technological packages that can accelerate economic growth.

The country is to be second in the region, after South Africa, to introduce Bt cotton that will curb the use of pesticides and boost productivity of the much neglected cotton industry. It was expected either Kenya or Nigeria would have taken the second position they may now toe the path after Uganda.

Meanwhile Dr C. Mugoya is the chairman of the newly formed Uganda chapter of the African biotechnology Stakeholders Forum (ABSF) which aims to provide the public all aspects of biotechnology including biosafety with information that is credible and balanced.

Malawi is taking bold steps to entrench appropriate mechanisms to cope and even catch up with the rapidly unfolding biotech revolution. Already the cabinet committee is giving attention to the Biosafety Bill to be tabled in Parliament, according to Dr L. Malekano from the university of Malawi at Mberu..

Malawi is also one of countries where the public is continuously provided with information on all aspects of biotechnology, especially issues related to biosafety. There is an active consumer group that is also involved in the discussions aimed to separate propaganda from truth or the reality.

There seems to be unlimited for African experts to plunge into gene revolution especially if appropriate mechanisms are put in place by the governments, private sector and other donors.

Dr Peter Msoffe from Sokoine University, Tanzania, plans to characterize local chicken and work involves studying satellite DNAs. Dr Msoffe is also involved in the formation of the Tanzanian chapter of the African Biotechnology Stakeholders Forum.