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Biotechnology

Modern molecular biology offers powerful new tools for improving agricultural productivity, environmental quality, and the nutritional quality of staple foods. At the same time, some applications of biotechnology raise concerns of safety, access, and equity in benefits. The science of biotechnology is helping to guide more precise crop and livestock breeding efforts, to diagnose crops and livestock diseases, to develop more effective livestock vaccines, and to engineer plants resistant to diseases and pests. The goal of USAID is to assist developing countries in building the framework for decision-making that will facilitate access to these opportunities the science holds and will ensure the safe and effective application of this technology.

USAID supports development of biotechnology as a component of our strategy to increase agricultural productivity and economic growth. Biotechnology compliments other USAID agricultural research programs in breeding, natural resources management, integrated pest management, and post-harvest technologies. In 1989, USAID launched an innovative approach to biotechnology, one that integrates technology development with the establishment of the policy frameworks necessary for the safe and effective application of the technology in developing countries. In addition, this strategy harnesses the private sector’s investment and expertise to further the goals of public research in developing countries.

USAID has recently expanded its support for biotechnology, reflecting the increasing demand in developing countries to be part of this new scientific revolution and to build their capacity to ensure the safe application of biotechnology. The Agency’s Collaborative Agricultural Biotechnology Initiative (CABIO) provides a comprehensive strategy for technology development, management, and decision-making through a variety of programs. CABIO links investments at the national, regional and global levels.

These collaborative programs engage the expertise of U.S. and developing country universities, the private sector, non-governmental organizations, the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), and other international institutions.

The goals of the programs include:

  • develop technologies targeted to small farmers in developing countries,
  • build scientific capacity through short and long term training,
  • enable public research systems to address regulatory and intellectual property rights issues as they move research forward,
  • develop and strengthen the systems to regulate the safety of biotechnology,
  • fund environmental research to inform risk assessment and management of biotechnology.


To promote the safe application of biotechnology, and to ensure compliance with national and international policies, USAID has implemented the following biotech policies and practices:

  • USAID will not support the transfer of bioengineered materials intended for planting without the host government’s explicit advanced informed consent. Grantees and contractors must comply with national and international laws applicable to biotechnology research and testing. Further, USAID conducts an independent assessment of the potential environmental or safety risks before supporting the transfer of materials intended for direct release into the environment.

  • USAID supports activities to build the capacity of governments to evaluate and manage the safety of bioengineered products. In addition to regulatory policy development and training, USAID also supports efforts by developing country scientists and policy makers to address local public outreach on issues of biotechnology.

  • USAID supports environmental research to address potential risks to biodiversity from bioengineered products in the specific environmental and agroecological environments of developing countries.

The ultimate objective of USAID’s investments in biotechnology is to provide farmers with improved crop varieties and livestock technology to increase productivity. We work to develop staple food crops that will fight off devastating diseases that contribute to food insecurity and low productivity in Africa, such as insect-resistant cowpeas, disease-resistant bananas, and disease-resistant cassava, the staple foods of many poor in Africa. Biotechnology also provides the opportunity to increase nutritional quality of crops to address the debilitating impacts of malnutrition, supporting the development of Golden Rice for Asia, golden mustard for India, and vitamin A enhanced maize for Africa.

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