Introduction

Biotechnology offers to developing countries enormous opportunity to contribute to poverty reduction and sustainable economic growth. The existence of big biological diversity in those countries could be exploited in a sustainable manner through biotechnology application and provide enhanced agricultural and agro-industrial development.

Cognizant of these real chances, USAID-Uganda provides support to enable the country fully utilize the potentials of biotechnology in the overall economic development strategy.
The mechanisms to provide this support are Agricultural Productivity Enhancement Program (APEP); Program for Biosafety Systems (PBS); and Agricultural Biotechnology Support Program II (ABSPII).

APEP is the USAID supported program in Uganda. It is managed and implemented by Chemonics International Inc. in collaboration with consortium members and local Ugandan partners. The program has commenced early this year and will be implemented over the next four and half years.

APEP aims to expand rural economic opportunities in the agricultural sector by increasing food and cash crop productivity and marketing. APEP builds sector successes with added emphasis on creating economies of scale that catalyze transformation of agriculture from low input/low output, subsistence farming to commercially competitive agriculture. APEP will address targeted commodities and related systems; production-to-market transactions; improvements in input distribution, technology transfer, and POs; and development of competitive agricultural and rural enterprises.

Biotechnology as one of the key interventions in enhanced science based economic development is being considered as one part of APEP activities. APEP biotechnology intervention is partially implemented in collaboration with Michigan State University as consortium member.

In addition to the APEP specific biotechnology/biosafety activities, there are two main mechanisms through which USAID Uganda plans to implement biotechnology and biosafety research and policy in Uganda. These are ABSP II and PBS mechanisms.

Agricultural Biotechnology Support Project (ABSP II) managed by Cornell University, brings together partners from U.S public and private sectors, international research institutions, and developing countries for collaborating in technology development and scientific training.

Program for Biosafety System (PBS), led by IFPRI, will create the infrastructure developing countries need to use biotechnology safely, building policies and capacity for science-based regulations, and examining biosafety in the broader context of economics, environment, science, and trade issues.

Mission

The mission of APEP-Biotechnology is enabling Uganda to use biotechnologies in its overall socio-economic development and production enhancement endeavors.

Objectives

• Supporting development of national biotechnology policy and implementation strategies including R&D, Technology Transfer, biosafety and IPR
• Providing support in biotechnology R&D and policy capacity building
• Promotion of technology transfer and biotechnology business development
• Facilitating strategic collaboration and business partnership with public and private biotechnology organizations
• Promoting and facilitating science based biotechnology communication and outreach

Major Activities

• Providing an overall support for biotechnology policy formulation and implementation strategies through supporting the NBC and facilitating the NBC secretariat at the UNCST
• Biotechnology R&D and policy capacity building through research projects and training
• Biotechnology related technology transfer and business promotion through creating partnership at national, regional and international levels
• Biotechnology communication and outreach through study tours and developing focused communication modules

Partners

• PBS
• ABSPII
• NARO
• UNCST
• Makerere University
• ASARECA
• AATF
• BIOEARN
• ISAAA
• MSU
• CU

Publications

News & Events

Contact

Tilahun Zeweldu (PhD)
USAID/ABSPII Regional Coordinator
East and Central Africa
USAID/APEP Biotechnology Advisor Uganda
Agribusiness House
58 Lumumba Avenue Nakasero
PO Box 7856 Kampala, Uganda
Phone: (256) 031 350 700
Cell: (077) 776 944
Fax: (256) 031 350 701

E-mail:
tila@apepuganda.org
zeweldu@msu.edu

Links

The Potentials of Biotechnology Applications for Sustainable Economic
Development of Uganda: Strategic View Point