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</font></font><a class="date"><em><font color="#666666" size="2" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif">Posted 19 November 2008</font></em></a><br><br><a class="country"><font color="#336600" size="2" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><strong>PHILIPPINES</strong></font></a><font size="2" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif"> <br>
1-BIOTECHNOLOGY OFFERS SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS, SAYS EXPERT <br>2-P27-M BIOTECH LAB UP IN MINDANAO: AIMS TO ENHANCE REGION'S HUMAN RESOURCE CAPACITY <br>3-BIOFERTILIZER FROM COCONUT COAXES CROPS TO YIELD MORE <br>4-BIOTECH EXPERT SAYS GM CROPS REDUCE CO2 EMISSION <br>
<br></font><a class="country"><font color="#336600" size="2" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><strong>VIETNAM</strong></font></a><font size="2" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif"> <br>5-VIETNAM TO TEST GENETICALLY-MODIFIED PLANTS <br>
<br></font><a class="country"><font color="#336600" size="2" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><strong>PAKISTAN</strong></font></a><font size="2" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif"> <br>6-WILL PAK LEARN FROM INDIA IN COTTON FARMING? <br>
<br></font><a class="country"><font color="#336600" size="2" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><strong>GLOBAL</strong></font></a><font size="2" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif"> <br>7-INNOVATION SOLVING WORLD'S GROWING APPETITE <br>
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<div align="left"><br><font size="2"><font face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><strong>1-BIOTECHNOLOGY OFFERS SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS, SAYS EXPERT</strong><br>14-November-2008 </font></font><a target="_blank" href="http://www.bic.searca.org/press_releases/2008/nov14.html"><font color="#0000ff" size="2" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif">SEARCA BIC News Release</font></a><font size="2" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif"> <br>
<br>Food security, affordable energy, access to water, climate change and pollution, and healthcare – are among the pressing crises that need to be addressed globally. One emerging technology that strives to address these areas and offers sustainable solutions for the future, is biotechnology.<br>
<br>Dr. Benigno Peczon, member of the Board of Advisers of the Biotechnology Coalition of the Philippines, said in a recent convention of the Kapisanang Kimika ng Pilipinas – Southern Tagalog Chapter (KKP-ST), that biotechnology offers a lot of things. Biotechnology is not only a tool to develop genetically improved crop varieties but it is also being used to increase yields and augment food production to help end global famine and hunger. Industrial use of biological systems for waste water treatment such as bioremediation are now being used. Likewise, the advances of biotechnology are applied in healthcare industry for the development of vaccines, industrial enzymes and testing kits for cancer treatment.<br>
<br>"Biotechnology is the science of the future. It has a huge potential in food and energy area," said Dr. Peczon. Agricultural science and technology, including the indispensable tools of biotechnology, will be critical to meeting the growing demands for food, feed, fiber and fuel. At present, scientists are developing crops that can withstand marginal environmental conditions, such as drought and saline soils. Biofuels technology for greener environment are currently being developed and commercialized to contend with the looming energy crisis. <br>
<br>Dr. Peczon, who presented a lecture during the KKP-ST annual convention with the theme – "CHEMBIZ: Let's Go Business with Chemistry', has also called on future Filipino chemists to explore other fields related to chemistry such as the diverse scientific discipline of biotechnology. He encouraged entrepreneurship among Filipino chemists in advancing chemical science in the biochemical industry, especially during this time of crises. <br>
<br>This year's KKP-ST convention was sponsored by the Philippine Council for Advanced Science and Technology Research and Development (PCASTRD) and the SEARCA Biotechnology Information Center (SEARCA BIC). <em><strong>(Rochella B. Lapitan, SEARCA BIC)</strong></em><br>
<br><strong>------------------------------------------------------------</strong><br></font><font size="2"><font face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><strong>2-P27-M BIOTECH LAB UP IN MINDANAO: AIMS TO ENHANCE REGION'S HUMAN RESOURCE CAPACITY<br>
</strong>by Madel R. Sabater<br>12-November-2008 Manila Bulletin<br><br>The Department of Science and Technology (DoST) is establishing a biotechnology laboratory in Mindanao through a P27 million project with the University of the Philippines (UP) in an aim to enhance human resource capacity building in the region – the country's biggest production area of agro biotechnology.<br>
<br>Philippine Council for Advanced Science and Technology Research and Development (PCASTRD-DoST) executive director Dr. Reynaldo Ebora, in an interview, said a research station equipped with a molecular biotechnology laboratory, fermentation laboratory, incubators, tissue culture equipment and Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)-based detection kits, among others, is being established in UP Mindanao to develop human resource capacity and enhance biotechnology research and development capability in the area.<br>
<br>Ebora said the project is funded at P27-million and will run for three years.<br><br>The project is already on its second year, including the Sago Biotechnology project.<br><br>"The main objective is to (improve) capacity building in Mindanao. Basically, we want to establish a biotechnology lab in UP Mindanao as soon as possible," Ebora said.<br>
<br>"In the field of agro-biotechnology, our production area is in Mindanao so it's just logical to put up a research station in (the area)," he added.<br><br>Ebora disclosed that the first few batches of faculty members in UP Mindanao are originally from UP Los Baños.<br>
<br>He said the DoST is mulling to produce local talent, especially in biotechnology, through the establishment of a well-equipped biotech lab.<br><br>The establishment of a biotech laboratory in Mindanao will also shun some researchers' impression that science and technology manpower is only centered in empirical Manila.<br>
<br>"It's our effort to reach out (especially since) we have a lot of resources that we can study in Mindanao," he said.<br><br>Under the Sago biotechnology project in UP Mindanao, researchers aim to conduct a molecular analysis of sago, particularly sago varieties with good starch yield using tissue culture.<br>
<br>"If we develop products (from sago), we would be able to establish an industry for the natives in Mindanao and it will be a big help for them," Ebora said.<br><br>"We want to have a processing industry (using sago) similar to Indonesia and Malaysia," he added.<br>
<br>It was gathered that no sago plantation system currently exists in the country.<br><br>Sago plants in the wild are being identified using ground positioning system (GPS) and ground truthing.<br><br>The Biotechnology sector has been identified by the Philippine government as a potential export earner, aside from major export earning industries like electronics, autoparts, processed foods, coconut, and marine products.<br>
<br><strong>------------------------------------------------------------</strong><br><strong>3-BIOFERTILIZER FROM COCONUT COAXES CROPS TO YIELD MORE</strong><br>By Ira Karen Apanay and Ruben D. Manahan IV <br>10-November-2008 Manila Times<br>
<br>A biofertilizer made from coconut that helps crops to yield more was developed by scientists at the National Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology of the University of the Philippines-Los Baños (UPLB). <br>
<br>Dr. Lorele Trinidad of UPLB says the biofertilizer, called Cocogro, could replace inorganic fertilizers, reduce carbon emissions and mitigate the effects of nitrogen and other elements. <br><br>"It's a crude mixture of growth hormones. There are growth hormones good for rooting, good for shooting, so if you have vegetable seeds, the shooting is good, as well as the germination. If the germination is good, more plants are expected to grow because they already have a headstart," Trinidad said, describing the product. <br>
<br>Trinidad, a member of the team that developed Cocogro, said the biofertilizer was a result of an effort to use coconut water as culture medium to cut costs. <br><br>"We found out that coconut water has many nutrients, it has ceased to be a mere culture medium and has become the focus of our study," she added. <br>
<br>Trinidad noted that a lot of coconut water goes to waste and utilizing it will avoid contamination of the environment. <br><br>"We extracted the most important of the nutrients, that which costs most. And we thought of getting growth hormones," she said. "You deal with the coconut wastewater. You no longer have to pay for the treatment and you get an economic return because you have a high-value product," she added. <br>
<br>Trinidad said that coconut water used in backyards for growing orchids and flowering plants was later shifted to seed germination and tissue culture. <br><br>According to her, they have used Cocogro as a substitute growth hormone for banana-tissue culture. She said that it was a most profitable substitute since imported growth hormones are expensive, sometimes reaching P1,000 per milligram. <br>
<br>Trinidad added that research on Cocogro was stopped in the mid-1990s when Dr. Juanita Mamaril, Trinidad's former superior and pioneer of Cocogro, retired. Trinidad herself went on a study leave. <br><br>"When I returned, the demand was great because it was already tested, though not really on a commercial scale. Those who bought Cocogro to be used on orchids came back repeatedly," Trinidad said. <br>
<br>Due to demand, she and the rest of the team continued the research. "We need to go through the next phase, which is purification, because the first is a crude mixture." <br><br>Trinidad said that as of this writing, Cocogro does not have a Fertilizer and Pesticides Authority (FPA) license yet since the research is still concentrated in the laboratory and going large-scale requires a bigger budget. <br>
<br>"We need the FPA's approval. Testing from an accredited researcher costs P80,000 per run five years ago. We need two. We don't have the money," she added. <br><br>According to her, they have been getting inquiries from coconut growers from Mindanao and the Visayas. <br>
<br>"Many desiccated-coconut factories that throw their coconut water away are looking for a technology in which the wastewater can be used because of the high cost of wastewater treatment," she said. <br><br>She admitted, however, that much work still has to be done to produce Cocogro on a commercial basis. <br>
<br>"We need to study more range of the product's effectiveness. We have used it on vegetables and the seeds germinated fast. Lately, we have been testing it on recalcitrants, low-germinating seeds that companies find hard to market. That's our target," Trinidad said. <br>
<br><strong>------------------------------------------------------------</strong><br><strong>4-BIOTECH EXPERT SAYS GM CROPS REDUCE CO2 EMISSION</strong><br>09-November 2008 </font></font><a target="_blank" href="http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/business/11/09/08/biotech-expert-says-gm-crops-reduce-co2-emission-0"><font color="#0000ff" size="2" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif">abs-cbnNEWS.com</font></a><br>
<br><font size="2" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif">Genetically modified (GM) crops have an immense capability of protecting the environment, an agricultural economist said.<br><br>According to Graham Brookes of PG Economics (United Kingdom), the use of GM crops has reduced carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by an estimated 14.76 billion kilos in 2006.<br>
<br>He added that the growing impact of GM crops from 1996 to 2006 has resulted in pesticide use reduction by a whopping 15.47 percent, covering a total of 27 pesticide active ingredients used by the European Union (EU) on arable crops in one year.<br>
<br>In GM insect-resistant cotton, for instance, 5.6 million kilos of insecticide were observed to be reduced, said Brookes. With the reduction on spraying, less fuel is used which resulted in the reduction of CO2 emission by 5.8 billion kilos or equivalent to 2.6 million cars off the road.<br>
<br>"This is equivalent to removing 6.56 million cars or 25 percent of cars registered in the United Kingdom from the road in one year," he said in a forum.<br><br>Biotechnology crops were also said to promote low or no till farming, a system which has cancelled the release of 13.5 billion kilos of CO2 into the atmosphere. If no tillage would be continued, 63.9 billion kilos of CO2 would be reduced through additional soil carbon sequestration.<br>
<br>In addition to this, Brookes said that the production of GM crops has benefitted farmers, generating an accumulated income of $33.8 billion. He added that such were able to effectively lower food prices, especially in developing countries.<br>
<br>"Additional production has allowed significantly higher volumes of commodities to be traded globally. It must have had an important positive impact on mitigating the level of price increases in world markets," he said. <br>
<br><strong>------------------------------------------------------------</strong><br></font><font size="2"><font face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><strong>VIETNAM<br>5-VIETNAM TO TEST GENETICALLY-MODIFIED PLANTS<br></strong>11-November-2008 </font></font><a target="_blank" href="http://www.agbios.com/static/news/NEWSID_10188.php"><font color="#0000ff" size="2" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif">VietNamNet Bridge via Agbios</font></a><br>
<br><font size="2" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif">In 2011, the country will plant genetically-modified species of maize, cotton and soybean on a large scale, said scientists at a workshop on the global influence of biotechnology-enhanced plants in Hanoi.<br>
<br>"The productivity of each hectare of maize in Vietnam is 4.5 tonnes. If biotechnology is applied, Vietnam's maize productivity would increase by 28% while the cost would fall a lot," said Graham Brookes from the British Economic Institute.<br>
<br>In Asia, genetically-modified plants have a higher yield than normal varieties, for example 20% more for soybean, 7% for maize, 15% for cotton, and 3% for colza. Twenty-three countries in the world allow genetically-modified plants. Around 670 products from genetically-modified plants are sold in 53 countries. <br>
<br>In Vietnam, the Agricultural Hereditary Institute has compiled a set of rules on testing and evaluating genetically-modified plants.<br><br>Nguyen Quoc Binh, Director of the HCM City Biotechnology Centre, said the centre will grow an anti-pesticide maize variety, a genetically-modified plant from the Philippines, on a trial basis.<br>
<br>According to this centre, this kind of tree can help increase farmers' incomes by $100/ha/crop compared to normal maize trees though the price of seeds is $20-30/ha higher than for normal seeds.<br><br>Vietnam has more than 1 million hectares of maize and if this variety is grown, farmers could earn an additional $100 million/crop (four months).<br>
<br><strong>------------------------------------------------------------</strong><br></font><font size="2"><font face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><strong>PAKISTAN<br>6-WILL PAK LEARN FROM INDIA IN COTTON FARMING?<br></strong>18-November-2008 </font></font><a target="_blank" href="http://www.commodityonline.com/news/Will-Pak-learn-from-India-in-cotton-farming-12792-3-1.html"><font color="#0000ff" size="2" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif">Commodity Online</font></a><br>
<br><font size="2" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif">This is one area where Pakistan can learn one or two things from India. In India, Bt Cotton has become a big hit with farmers and the cotton output has gone up drastically after farmers opted for the genetically modified variety of cotton.<br>
<br>But farmers in Pakistan are yet to embrace Bt Cotton and they face the challenge of raising the static cotton production since the last several years. <br><br>The projected targets for cotton yields are not being met due to continuing crop losses in Pakistan. Boll worm & Leaf Curl Virus CLCV have played havoc with crops in many areas. All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) and farmer groups are continuously requesting authorities to bring latest agriculture technologies in cotton so that Pakistan can regain its lost position in the world as a leading cotton producer<br>
<br>Biotechnology seems the likely answer to all these problems in Pakistan cotton fields. Around 8.2 million farmers in 17 countries choose to plant biotech crops. <br><br>The use of biotech crops has significantly reduced pesticide usage while increasing yields. It helps in reducing crop loss as the plant is less prone to disease like Bollgard and curl leaf. <br>
<br>BT Cotton can protect against boll worms and may reduce the current losses by half. Other measures like herbicide sprays can further reduce the losses due to weeds. According to cotton industry analysts, Bt technology along with RRF (herbicides) could reduce losses due to pests and weeds by 20 to 50 per cent thereby making up for the 2 million bales deficit that Pakistan currently faces.<br>
<br>Another factor to consider is that as the approval process of BT cotton has taken long, farmers have started importing / smuggling the BT seed. <br><br>This led to use of smuggled seed in Punjab by almost 60 per cent farmers. But as there was no stewardship and guidance to the farmers, this posed several serious problems. First, the pirated varieties are not developed for Pakistan's agronomic conditions and do not perform well, especially against mealy bugs and CLCV.<br>
<br>Secondly, while farmers have no assurance that they are purchasing quality BT seeds, they nonetheless reduce insecticide spraying —raising the risk of increased pest damage, particularly later in the season. <br><br>Raw material from unapproved BT varieties results in reduced quality cotton which traders are reluctant to export. Majority of cotton farmers are using authentic Bollgard and Bollgard II cotton technologies in India, China, Australia and the US where other BT cotton technologies have been introduced and this clearly demonstrates the preference of growers based on benefits realised by them.<br>
<br>Now Pakistan has signed a deal with Monsanto to initiate collaboration in biotechnology — an extremely favorable development for future commercialisation of transgenic technology in Pakistan. <br><br>Monsanto cotton traits are currently approved in 13 countries around the world. Monsanto has already started trial production to assess the BT genes behavior in Pakistan's soil conditions and climate.<br>
<br><strong>------------------------------------------------------------</strong><br></font><font size="2"><font face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><strong>GLOBAL<br>7-INNOVATION SOLVING WORLD'S GROWING APPETITE<br></strong>by Jacqui Fatka<br>
10-November-2008 </font></font><a target="_blank" href="http://sl.farmonline.com.au/news/nationalrural/agribusiness-and-general/general/innovation-solving-worlds-growing-appetite/1355912.aspx"><font size="2"><font face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><font color="#000000">via </font><font color="#0000ff">Farmonline Stock & Land</font></font></font></a><br>
<br><font size="1" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><font size="2" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif">There is a growing need to produce food on less land. <br><br>Scientists now estimate that world food production will need to double by 2050. <br>
<br>Over the last decade, the world's population has grown 13pc and diets have become richer, while farmers have met increased needs with only 6pc more land. <br><br>Meanwhile, global incomes have risen 35pc. Growth in world meat consumption increased 25pc, growth in corn consumption increased 32pc and growth in soybean consumption grew 59pc. <br>
<br>Global productivity has increased exponentially. In the US, for example, domestic farmers now produce four times more corn than in 1930 on one-third less land. <br><br>Since 1981, global corn yields have increased 56pc, while land use has only increased 9.8pc. This has essentially created 150 million "virtual acres". As the figure shows, many developing countries have the opportunity to double or even triple production. <br>
<br>Asia and Africa have the highest population growth rate in the world, making it difficult to maintain adequate food supplies. <br><br>Still, in the past two decades, agricultural productivity has stagnated or even declined in many countries in those regions for many reasons, including low soil fertility, poor seed varieties, shortage of arable land, inadequate rainfall and an abundance of pests and diseases. <br>
<br>While some countries have embraced agricultural biotechnology to improve crops and yields, many have not. <br><br>In addition, lack of infrastructure prevents global productivity gains. This includes poor transportation, storage, land use and water control. It also includes soft infrastructure such as government policy, property rights, market news and information. <br>
<br>Other setbacks in developing countries include a lack of modern equipment, credit and insurance. <br><br>Innovation at work <br>The Alliance for Abundant Food & Energy is one group that is helping support innovation. Its four founding members - Monsanto, DuPont, Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) and Deere & Co. - believe that through innovation, today's farmers can meet the growing global demand for both food and energy. <br>
<br>Many agricultural innovations remain unknown today, with behind-the-scenes work helping to advance agriculture domestically and globally, explained Mark Kornblau, executive director of the alliance. <br><br>The founding members have made important innovations throughout the agricultural process, including seeds that yield more per acre, tractors that use global positioning system technology to avoid reseeding rows and processing techniques that allow the industry to make even more from a simple grain of corn. <br>
<br>At the same time, these companies have sought to share their advances with farmers through donations and training programs in the US and worldwide. <br><br>Biotech seed provider Monsanto is developing new maize varieties that are more water efficient and drought tolerant for farmers in Africa. Through a public/private partnership with the African Agricultural Technology Foundation, Water Efficient Maize for Africa was formed in response to a growing call to address the devastating effects of drought on small-scale farmers and their families. Frequent droughts lead to crop failure, hunger and poverty. <br>
<br>DuPont, the parent company of Pioneer Hi-Bred, is introducing better-quality seeds in areas such as West Africa and Indonesia. Its particular focus is on commercial maize hybrids to boost productivity in the region. Simply switching from open-pollinated varieties of corn to hybrid seed can quadruple yields on the same land. <br>
<br>Innovation often begins with education. ADM is working with Ivory Coast farmers to attend field schools in order to learn the most advanced farming techniques. <br><br>The John Deere Foundation is supporting long-term development and sustainable approaches to help eliminate hunger through its Solutions for World Hunger. As part of the program, the foundation established a relationship with KickStart, a nonprofit organization that helps farmers in Kenya, Tanzania and Mali get out of poverty. <br>
<br>Future needs <br>Kornblau explained that the agriculture industry can't advance innovation on its own. The Alliance for Abundant Food & Energy is calling on the US government to reorganise, refocus and adequately fund its foreign agricultural economic development efforts. <br>
<br>This includes creating a high-level role in government to coordinate and oversee efforts among various organisations with agricultural development activities. It also calls for making agricultural development a higher priority for US government organisations conducting economic development activities. <br>
<br>In addition, the US needs to provide assistance in developing nations for improving infrastructure that supports agriculture, such as farm-to-market roads, storage facilities, water control, shipping, etc., along with farmer extension programs and improved market information, Kornblau explained. <br>
<br>The alliance is also calling on a coordinated and expedited sharing of scientific and agricultural market information with developing countries, facilitated by land-grant university counterpart partnerships and counterpart collaborations with the US Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service. <br>
<br>Importantly, a massive expansion of research and development is needed domestically and abroad. <br><br>Here's the point <br>Don't dismiss the incredible, innovative nature of today's farmers in their drive to meet a growing world population's needs for food and fuel. <br>
<br>According to the Alliance for Abundant Food & Energy, more than 75pc of the public believes in encouraging innovation in farming in the developing world so there are more crops for food and energy globally. In addition, more than 70pc believe that if done properly, agricultural sources can be effectively used as both energy and food. <br>
<br>Many agribusinesses are already stepping up to the plate to help developing countries grow more food on less land. In addition, through collaborations such as the Alliance for Abundant Food & Energy, companies are calling on the government to reinvest and refocus funding efforts on foreign agricultural economic development activities. <br>
<br>Moving forward, it is important to continue investing in increasing global production while also conserving the land currently in production. World governments, as well as private and public partners, will play a crucial role. <br>
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<td bgcolor="#fcfdce" valign="top" width="184"><br><a class="events" target="_blank" href="http://www.searca.org/web/news/2008/oct/web/24.html"><font color="#336600" size="1" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><strong>Three-in-one: Trees, veggies, and animals together?</strong></font></a><font size="1" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif"> <br>
<br></font><a class="events" target="_blank" href="http://www.searca.org/web/news/2008/oct/web/22.html"><font color="#336600" size="1" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><strong>Filipinos getting poorer and hungrier</strong></font></a><font size="1" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif"> <br>
<br></font><a class="events" target="_blank" href="http://www.searca.org/web/news/2008/oct/web/10.html"><font color="#336600" size="1" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><strong>Let's look for solutions…</strong></font></a><font size="1" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif"> <br>
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</font><a class="events" target="_blank" href="http://www.searca.org/web/adss/2008/index.html"><font color="#336600" size="1" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><strong>Download available paper and/or presentation handouts of some notable speakers presented at SEARCA Agriculture and Development Series. CLICK HERE.</strong></font></a><font size="1"><font face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif"> <br>
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</font><a class="events" target="_blank" href=""><font color="#ff6600" size="1" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><strong>Philippines National Biotechnology Week</strong></font></a><br><a class="events_details"><font color="#666666" size="1" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><strong>Manila, Philippines<br>
24 - 28 November 2008</strong></font></a><br><br><a class="events" target="_blank" href="http://www.bic.searca.org/"><font color="#336600" size="1" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><strong>Symposium on Biotechnology: Principles, Status, and Opportunities</strong></font></a><br>
<a class="events_details"><font color="#666666" size="1" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><strong>Umali Auditorium, SEARCA, College, Los Baños, Lagun, Philippines<br>25 November 2008</strong></font></a><br><br><a class="events" target="_blank" href="http://www.isbgmo.info/"><font color="#336600" size="1" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><strong>International Symposium on the Biosafety of Genetically Modified Organisms</strong></font></a><br>
<a class="events_details"><font color="#666666" size="1" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><strong>Te Papa, Wellington, New Zealand<br>16 - 21 November 2008</strong></font></a><br><br><a class="events" target="_blank" href="http://www.ishs-papaya2008.com/"><font color="#336600" size="1" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><strong>2nd International Forum on Papaya</strong></font></a><br>
<a class="events_details"><strong><font color="#666666" size="1" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif">Fortune Pandiyan Hotel, Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India<br>09 - 12 December 2008</font></strong></a><br></td></tr></tbody></table>
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