In an event organized by the Pakistan Biotechnology Information Center (PABIC), the Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Sikandar Hayat Khan Bosan said that Pakistan has taken a number of bold steps regarding biotechnology in spite of many challenges.

The two-day event entitled Capacity Building Sessions with the Biosafety Regulators, was organized in collaboration with Pakistan's Department of Agriculture, U.S. Foreign Agricultural Service in Islamabad, Pakistan, and the Pakistan Agriculture Research Council (PARC) and held at the Serena Hotel in Islamabad, Pakistan on August 11-12, 2016. Biotechnology experts and regulators from other countries, including the Philippines, Malaysia, and Austria participated in the event.

The Minister also led the launch of ISAAA Brief 51, 20^th Anniversary (1996 to 2015) of the Global Commercialization of Biotech Crops and Biotech Crop Highlights in 2015. The Minister added that 20 years of commercialization showed that the crop biotechnology had enormous prospects, as the technology had far-reaching economic, environmental, social and health benefits. He said that the challenges faced by the country, including energy crisis, food security, rapid urbanization, and climate change can only be covered by the adoption of modern agri-biotech applications.

For biotech updates in Pakistan, visit the PABIC website.