The success of improved crop varieties of the first Green Revolution relied heavily on additional technologies such as improved irrigation techniques, mechanized farming equipment, and purchased inputs such as fertilizer and other chemicals. Thus they were adopted preferentially by relatively large-scale farmers. The advent of agricultural biotechnologies, including transgenic technologies, allows genetic improvements of seeds with the potential to benefit all farmers and consumers, including the resource-poor.

To implement ABSPII we:

• Conduct highly-participatory priority setting activities to ensure that product development is focused on real needs;
• Develop ”Product Commercialization Packages” for each bio-engineered crop by geographical site, integrating activities on technology development, policy (including intellectual property), outreach and communication, and marketing and distribution;
• Create an enabling environment for regulatory and legal authorities;
• Foster public-private partnerships to boost mutual incentives and self-sustained, long-term investments;
• Promote improved science-based public awareness of bio-engineered crops;
• Monitor and evaluate the impact of ABSPII activities.

During the project, we expect:

• Increased agricultural productivity in farmers fields;
• Improved research and development capacities within collaborating institutions;
• Increased understanding by scientists and policy-makers of markets, regulatory environments and commercialization requirements of bio-engineered crops;
• Increased public awareness and understanding of bio-engineered crops that address public needs;
• Enhanced environments for public-private partnerships in the areas of intellectual property licensing and regulatory approval.
  

In addition, the long-term goals of ABSPII are to:

• Increase agricultural outputs among adopters of new products;
• Improve nutrition due to the availability of more secure and varied food sources;
• Expand rural economies due to both increased farm productivity and to improved market opportunities.

ABSPII will identify and support other USAID initiatives to promote safe and effective agricultural biotechnology in Africa and Asia. For example, successful commercialization of bio-engineered crops will depend upon satisfactory biosafety regulation. ABSP II collaborates closely with USAID’s Program for Biosafety (PBS) project, which focuses on strengthening national and regional capacities in biosafety. The biotechnology impact assessments conducted by ABSPII will provide forward-looking evaluations of the market-level consequences of biotechnology products that will provide a basis for interactions with other USAID-supported trade and development initiatives.