Kuala Lumpur APEC Seminar on Creating a Positive Agricultural Biotechnology Investment Environment
Agricultural biotechnology scientists, government representatives and investment experts are meeting in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, this week to develop a summary of priority goals and critical tools for APEC economies to encourage investment in agricultural biotechnology.
The meeting on December 7-9 will address policy and economic factors affecting the investment environment for agricultural biotechnology.
The Kuala Lumpur seminar, "Creating a Positive Investment Environment for Agricultural Biotechnology," is being held in response to priorities identified by the APEC High Level Policy Dialogue on Agricultural Biotechnology.
Agricultural biotechnology is seen in the APEC process as offering potential to promote regional economic growth as well as deliver direct benefits to enhance crop production. However the development of the agricultural biotechnology sector faces challenges in attracting investment.
This seminar will enable participants to further explore the factors necessary to employ new agricultural biotechnology technologies as a means to further develop their economies.
Malaysia's Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, YB Dato' Sri Dr. Jamaludin b Dato' Mohd Jarjis, will open the seminar on Tuesday. Contributors to the conference will include a range of academic, government and business representatives.
Professor Cho Kyun Rha, of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, will provide the keynote address on business opportunities for agricultural biotechnology in APEC.
Professor Cho's address will include key the presentation of considerations and strategies to foster investments in biotechnology and promote the development of the agricultural sector.
The next step in developing APEC's initiatives in the agricultural biotechnology sector will be the presentation of the priority goals and critical tools developed in Kuala Lumpur to the 2005 APEC Policy Dialogue in Korea.
Additional details on the seminar are available at: http://www.apec.org/apec/InvstEnvAgriBiotechSeminar.html