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Namibian National Biodiversity
Programme
Namibian Biotechnology Alliance (NABA)
- Biosafety Framework
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Details within the
programme:
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The Namibian Biotechnology Alliance
is a non-profit, interdisciplinary interest group on biotechnology
and biosafety issues. Its members are government, university, NGO
and private sector specialists in biological, agricultural,
conservation and legal fields, who wish to help establish a
framework for the sound use and control of biotechnology
applications in Namibia.
The University of Namibia (UNAM), through its Science Faculty, chairs this initiative to coordinate, plan, support and regulate the development of biotechnology in Namibia, through an effective biosafety framework, policy and guidelines. NABA was formed in late 1996 under the National Biodiversity Programme as an interdisciplinary working group on these increasingly important issues.
See working groups.
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Its main current activities are:
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driving the implementation of our National Biosafety Framework;
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implementing our recent Cabinet-approved
national policy on, and guidelines for, biotechnology research and related activities in Namibia;
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assessing the evolving national status of biotechnology and biosafety activities, plans, and institutional
capacities;
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developing appropriate technical safety guidelines for the practice of biotechnology in agriculture, industry, health, mining and other fields.
Namibia is a small country and is unlikely ever to have a huge biotechnology industry, nor will we likely have a high demand for the most cutting-edge biotechnology applications. If carefully controlled, biotechnology can potentially play an important role in sustainable development, particularly in agriculture where the development of drought-, disease-, and frost-resistant domesticated species is a priority. Stringent, enforceable environmental safeguards are essential to prevent damaging effects on indigenous species or human health, however. In the context of arid Namibia, it is highly unlikely that biotechnology is a prudent investment in attempts to increase food security.
Contact:
Chairperson: Martha Kandawa-Schulz
Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Namibia
Private Bag 13301, Windhoek, Namibia
Tel. +264-61-206-3635; Fax +264-61-206-3791
Treasurer:
Berthold Wohlleber
Agricultural Law Enforcement Section
Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Rural Development
Private Bag 13184, Windhoek, Namibia
Tel. +264-61-202-2172; Fax +264-61-23-5672
Committee members from the National Biodiversity
Programme:
Sem Shikongo
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National Biodiversity Programme, Private Bag 13306, Windhoek, Namibia
Tel. +264-61-24-9015 | Fax +264-61-24-0339
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