International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications
Encyclopedia
The International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA) is a non-profit, industry and government funded international organization that promotes the use of agricultural biotechnology, with a special focus on resource-poor farmers in developing countries. The ISAAA facilitates the transfer and delivery of proprietary biotechnology products by involving partner organisations from public and private sectors in the research and development continuum. Aside from technology transfer
, ISAAA is also involved in biotechnology-focused knowledge sharing and capacity building
, and produces annual reports on the use and benefits of biotech crops.
ISAAA SEAsiaCenter is hosted by the International Rice Research Institute
(IRRI) in Los Banos, Laguna
, Philippines
. This center also serves as the Global Coordination Office as well as the home of Global Knowledge Center on Crop Biotechnology
(KC). KC shares authoritative knowledge on every aspect of crop biotech to build capacity in national programmes to facilitate informed decision making about GM crops and their contribution to food security and environmental safety.. KC releases a weekly e-newsletter, the Crop Biotech Update (CBU), which features latest news about agricultural biotechnology. The CBU reaches more than 1 million subscribers all over the world.
ISAAA AfriCenter is hosted by the International Livestock Research Institute
(ILRI) located in Nairobi
, Kenya
and implements programs involving tissue culture of bananas and rapid propagation of multipurpose trees.
ISAAA AmeriCenter is located in Cornell University
, Ithaca, New York
. It serves as the administrative and financial headquarters of the organization.
, Bayer
, two banks - Fondazione Bussolera in Italy and Ibercaja in Spain, USAID and the Agricultural Biotechnology Support Project II.
The 2010 report says that "15.4 million farmers planted 148 million hectares (365 million acres) of biotech crops in 29 countries, a sustained increase of 10% or 14 million hectares (35 million acres) over 2009. After 15 years of commercialization of GM crops, a total of 1 billion hectares of GM crops have been planted worldwide.
Technology transfer
Technology Transfer, also called Transfer of Technology and Technology Commercialisation, is the process of skill transferring, knowledge, technologies, methods of manufacturing, samples of manufacturing and facilities among governments or universities and other institutions to ensure that...
, ISAAA is also involved in biotechnology-focused knowledge sharing and capacity building
Capacity building
Capacity building also referred to as capacity development is a conceptual approach to development that focuses on understanding the obstacles that inhibit people, governments, international organizations and non-governmental organizations from realizing their developmental goals while enhancing...
, and produces annual reports on the use and benefits of biotech crops.
International presence
ISAAA operates three regional centers.ISAAA SEAsiaCenter is hosted by the International Rice Research Institute
International Rice Research Institute
The International Rice Research Institute is an international NGO. Its headquarters are in Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines, and it has offices in sixteen countries...
(IRRI) in Los Banos, Laguna
Los Baños, Laguna
The Nature and Science City of Los Baños is a 1st class urban city in the province of Laguna, Philippines. According to the latest census, it has a population of 98,631 inhabitants in 17,030 households...
, Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
. This center also serves as the Global Coordination Office as well as the home of Global Knowledge Center on Crop Biotechnology
Global Knowledge Center on Crop Biotechnology
The Global Knowledge Center on Crop Biotechnology is a science-based information network that fosters knowledge-based and transparent decision making on crop biotech by facilitating and supporting the sharing of information and experiences among different stakeholders...
(KC). KC shares authoritative knowledge on every aspect of crop biotech to build capacity in national programmes to facilitate informed decision making about GM crops and their contribution to food security and environmental safety.. KC releases a weekly e-newsletter, the Crop Biotech Update (CBU), which features latest news about agricultural biotechnology. The CBU reaches more than 1 million subscribers all over the world.
ISAAA AfriCenter is hosted by the International Livestock Research Institute
International Livestock Research Institute
The International Livestock Research Institute is an international agricultural research institute based in Nairobi, Kenya, and founded in 1994 by the merging of the International Livestock Centre for Africa and the International Laboratory for Research on Animal Diseases...
(ILRI) located in Nairobi
Nairobi
Nairobi is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The city and its surrounding area also forms the Nairobi County. The name "Nairobi" comes from the Maasai phrase Enkare Nyirobi, which translates to "the place of cool waters". However, it is popularly known as the "Green City in the Sun" and is...
, Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
and implements programs involving tissue culture of bananas and rapid propagation of multipurpose trees.
ISAAA AmeriCenter is located in Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
, Ithaca, New York
Ithaca, New York
The city of Ithaca, is a city in upstate New York and the county seat of Tompkins County, as well as the largest community in the Ithaca-Tompkins County metropolitan area...
. It serves as the administrative and financial headquarters of the organization.
Donor organisations
The ISAAA receives funding from both public and private donors, including major biotechnology companies. Some of the ISAAA's funding agencies include the USDA, US Grains Council, MonsantoMonsanto
The Monsanto Company is a US-based multinational agricultural biotechnology corporation. It is the world's leading producer of the herbicide glyphosate, marketed in the "Roundup" brand of herbicides, and in other brands...
, Bayer
Bayer
Bayer AG is a chemical and pharmaceutical company founded in Barmen , Germany in 1863. It is headquartered in Leverkusen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany and well known for its original brand of aspirin.-History:...
, two banks - Fondazione Bussolera in Italy and Ibercaja in Spain, USAID and the Agricultural Biotechnology Support Project II.
Annual Report on the Global Status of Commercialized Biotech/GM Crops
The organization releases an annual publication on the global status of commercially approved biotech crops. The publication is authored by Clive James, the founder and chair of ISAAA. The annual brief provides research on global trends in the adoption of major biotech crops since they were first planted commercially.The 2010 report says that "15.4 million farmers planted 148 million hectares (365 million acres) of biotech crops in 29 countries, a sustained increase of 10% or 14 million hectares (35 million acres) over 2009. After 15 years of commercialization of GM crops, a total of 1 billion hectares of GM crops have been planted worldwide.
GM approval database
ISAAA documents approved GM crops worldwide and presents them in an easy-to-use database available in the organization's website. Each biotech event is featured with a brief description about the crop, trait, transformation method, developer, and summary of regulatory approval. Entries in the database were sourced from Biotechnology Clearing Houses/Regulatory Institutions of approving countries.Further reading
- Genetically modified organismGMOA GMO is a genetically modified organism.GMO may also refer to:* Gell-Mann–Okubo mass formula in particle physics* General Medical Officer, a designation for United States Army soldiers* Generalised molecular orbital theory, in chemistry...
- Transgenic Crops: An Introduction and Resource Guide
- Neondo, Henry. Tissue culture: JKUAT steps up war to protect plantlets in the field. Africa Science News Service. Saturday, 26 April 2008
- Brazil surpasses US in new transgenic crop plantings. Nature Biotechnology 26: 260 (2008)
- Focus on yield - Biotech crops; evidence, outcomes and impacts 1996-2006