US embassy cable - 05DHAKA222

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DHAKA 000222 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON, ETRD, BG 
SUBJECT: BANGLADESH: REQUEST FOR AGRICULTURE BIOTECHNOLOGY 
PUBLIC DIPLOMACY FUNDS 
 
REF: A. STATE 228322 
     B. STATE 244670 
 
1.  The U.S. Mission in Dhaka is pleased to submit three 
project proposals totaling $13,000 for agriculture 
biotechnology outreach funds through EB.  The Bangladesh 
government (BDG) has taken the decision to use biotechnology 
in agriculture but has not yet succeeded in convincing all 
members of the agriculture community of the necessity or 
safety of this plan.  The proposed projects will allow the 
Mission to assist the BDG in our shared goal of advancing the 
study and use of biotechnology in Bangladeshi agriculture as 
a means to enhance the BDG's ability to feed its population, 
slow the rate of increased dependence on fertilizer and 
insecticide, and improve the capacity of the Bangladeshi 
scientific community to make science-based decisions on the 
safety of individual biotechnology food products.  The 
possibility of funds being made available and ideas for 
appropriate projects have already been discussed with 
Bangladeshi partner agencies and interest is high. 
 
2.  The lack of crop rotation, the overuse of fertilizer and 
insecticides, and possibly also the presence of arsenic in 
the soil and water have begun to degrade the agricultural 
output of Bangladeshi farmers.  Local opponents of 
biotechnology in agriculture claim that the strains of plants 
currently available are themselves a biohazard.  In 
Bangladesh, the need for an open forum to conduct the next 
phase of this debate, as well as a training program for 
Bangladeshi scientists to develop their capacity to test GMOs 
for safety, is made more urgent by the fact that the BDG has 
already made the decision to press forward with 
bio-engineered agriculture to boost agricultural productivity. 
 
3.  The Mission's approach has been to seek ways to prompt 
the BDG to  adopt policies that protect consumers and the 
environment, promote timely, transparent, science-based 
decisions, and facilitate trade in bio-engineered products. 
To accomplish these objectives, we have developed strategies 
to better inform members of the NGO, academic, and media 
sectors about the factors surrounding biotechnology options 
for agriculture.  The projects proposed below will allow the 
Mission to advance its efforts in Bangladesh to implement our 
strategies and further engage our targeted audiences: 
 
A)  International Visitor Program on Testing for 
Bio-Engineered Food Safety: 
 
--Timing:  Summer 2005 
--Estimated Cost:  $7,000 
--Post Responsible Officer:  Econ Officer Barbara Keary 
; 880-2-885-5500, x2180 
 
Through the Cochran Fellowship under the USDA, Bangladeshi 
scientists can be trained in the U.S. in tissue culturing and 
other techniques for use in testing imported, bio-engineered 
foods for consumer safety.  This knowledge gap was 
specifically identified by the BARC as a critical need in the 
Bangladeshi scientific community as a way to perform due 
diligence in protecting consumers and to provide concrete 
evidence to the public of the safety of bio-engineered food 
products imported from overseas.  Several Bangladeshi 
scientists have already applied for the Cochran Fellowship, 
which covers all expenses and training for fellows while in 
the U.S. but does not pay for travel to and from the U.S. 
EB's biotechnology outreach funds would provide a perfect 
dovetail to the USDA program by covering the travel expenses 
for those Bangladeshi scientists selected by USDA for the 
Cochran Fellowship. 
 
B)  Multilateral Bangladesh Biotechnology Conference: 
 
--Timing:  Summer 2005 
--Estimated Cost:  $12,000 
--Post Responsible Officer:  Econ Officer Barbara Keary 
;   880-2-885-5500, x2180 
 
In conjunction with the Bangladesh Agricultural Research 
Center (BARC), the Bangladeshi Academy of Science, the FAS, 
the Econ section and other mission elements, the Mission's 
Public Affairs program office would identify Indian, 
American, Bangladeshi and possibly other South Asian regional 
participants for a multilateral conference on biotechnology 
in Bangladesh and South Asia.  The conference is currently 
envisioned as being two days long, with the first day being 
devoted to a well-rounded debate of bio-technology issues and 
a review of BDG agro-biotech policy, with particular 
reference to its safety and commercialization.  The second 
day would be set aside for the preparation of an action plan 
to be presented to the BDG on next steps.  The program for 
this seminar was designed in partnership with the BARC to 
ensure maximum utility for the next stage of the 
biotechnology debate in Bangladesh and therefore the greatest 
impact of funds.  Two thirds of the funds requested are to 
cover travel expenses from the U.S. for recognized experts in 
the field to headline the conference.  We would seek the 
participation of all targeted groups, including media, to 
ensure that exchanges are covered in the press.  This forum 
would contribute to our efforts both to shape the national 
debate and dispel myths and ill-informed concerns about 
bio-engineered foods and other products. 
 
THOMAS