The 1st All Africa Congress on Biotechnology 2008

Call for Papers: 1st Announcement

The African Biotechnology Stakeholders Forum (ABSF) through its sister network, the Agricultural Biotechnology Network in Africa (ABNETA) are pleased to announce the First ever All Africa Congress on Biotechnology that will be held in the Kenyan Capital Nairobi, during the third quarter of 2008 i.e. 22nd – 26th September 2008 The theme of the Congress will be ‘Harnessing the Potential of Agricultural Biotechnology for Food Security and Socio-Economic Development in Africa’. In addition to the main theme, congress participants will have an opportunity to listen to experiences of other countries in Europe, Asia, USA and Latin America about modern agricultural biotechnology and its applications in their economic transformation processes.
Offers of papers for presentation to any of the topics covered by the Congress are sought. You may offer your presentation as a verbal platform paper, as a free - standing display poster board, or both.
Congress topics
A full list of Congress topics is shown below. Some of the topics will be of two, or even four, platform session lengths so facilitating a large number of presentations. Subject to suitable offers, each topic will consist of a platform and a complementary poster session.
The title of each topic below will help you chose the most appropriate session and area of your preference and offer.
Biotechnology: Demystifying The Concepts
Genetically Modified Crops/Transgenic Crops
Biotechnology Applications In Livestock Development
Challenges In Biotechnology Development
Biotechnology Policy Development
Developing Regional Biosafety Regulatory Frameworks
Status of Biotechnology: Country Profiles
Food And Agriculture Biotechnology Policy: What Are The Linkages?
Linkages Of Biotechnology Policy To Other National And Global Policies
Understanding The Benefits And Potential Risks Of Genetically Modified Agricultural Products
Modern Food Biotechnology, Human Health And Development; An Evidence Based Study/Research
Globalization And International Governance Of Modern Biotechnology
The Role of African Union/NEPAD in Promoting Biotechnology Growth on the Continent
Role Of Regional Biotechnology And Agricultural Networks In Biotechnology Development In Africa
Role Of Non Public Institutions In Biotechnology Development In Africa
Human and Institutional Capacity For Biotechnology Development In Africa
Role Of Research Institutions In Biotechnology Development In Africa - Universities, National Agriculture Research Systems, International Agriculture Research Organizations And Private Institutions.
Impact of Information Technology on Biotechnology Development in Africa
Global Biotechnology Development: Can Africa Adopt Best Practices?
Development Partners and Biotechnology Development in Africa
Genetic Inventions And Intellectual Property Rights
Intellectual Property Rights As Applied In Biotechnology Applications
Intellectual Property Rights On Plant Variety Protect
Ethics In Biotechnology: Social Issues Of GMO Technology
The Interplay Of Culture, Science And Biotechnology
Biosafety Risk Assessment
Biosafety Risk Communication
Environmental Biosafety Risk Assessment
How to make your offer
All offers for consideration by the Congress Programme Committee must be made on the Offer a Paper form. (Still under construction)
All authors are required to:
• Provide a 150 - 200 word synopsis of your proposed paper title;
• Specify to which area they are making their offer;
• Submit an abstract of your paper by 10th March 2008. Abstract should contain the following:
 State the topic your abstract belongs to.
 State whether it is a lecture or a poster abstract
 The abstract must include name(s) of author(s), complete address (incl. fax and e-mail) of the contact author, title of paper, statement of objectives, principal results, and conclusion.
 Please use a common file format (word doc).
 The abstract should not be longer than 400 words
 Please submit your abstract to the secretariat addresses at the end of this announcement

All abstracts submitted will be carefully reviewed by the Congress Programme Committee scientists picked from the ABNETA Country Coordinators.


Book of Abstracts
At registration, participants will be provided with a book of abstracts and a detailed programme.
• Complete and submit your offer (full papers) by 26th May 2008
• There will be a poster session with poster award and poster short presentations. The official conference language will be English (however, French translation will be available).
Timetable
All full paper offers must be received by 26th May 2008 and will then be reviewed by the Congress Programme Committee team of scientists. Authors will be advised if their presentation has been accepted by 16th July 2008. The Congress Programme Committee reserves the right to redirect an offer from one topic to another, if deemed appropriate.
Each key biotechnology topic will be managed by Topic Organizers (subject matter specialists) who will become the author’s main point of contact. Topic Organizers will liaise with authors regarding the production, in the desired format, of their scripts for publication in the proceedings.
Contact Points

ABSF/ABNETA SECRETARIAT IN NAIROBI, KENYA

Congress Secretariat
Felix M’mboyi – Programmes Officer
Tel: +254 20 4444 558
Cell: +254 720 223 244
+254 734 333 283
Fax: +254 20 444 8762
Email: fmmboyi@absfafrica.org

Exhibition Enquiries
Ms Oiere Moragwa – Programmes Associate
Ms Jenniffer Mwai – Programmes Associate
Tel: +254 20 4444 558
Cell: +254 720 223 244
+254 734 333 283
Fax: +254 20 444 8762
E-mail: moirere@absfafrica.org
jmwai@absfafrica.org

General Enquiries
Professor Norah Olembo – Executive Director, ABSF
Tel: +254 20 4444 558
Cell: +254 720 223 244
+254 734 333 283
Fax: +254 20 444 8762
E-mail: absf@absfafrica.org

Conference Accommodation Booking Service

To be communicated later

Travel

Arrival for the event will be from 21st September 2008 and departure after the event will be from 27th September 2008. Late arrivals and or early departures will be arranged by the travel office secretariat and the appointed travel’s agent.

Further communication on this will be done later.

CONGRESS REGISTRATIONS Special registration concession for authors One author from each platform and poster presentation will be able to register for the Congress. Attendance at the event, and the inclusion of each paper in the proceedings, is dependent upon payment of a fee (to be communicated later). Delegates To be able to attend Biotechnology Congress you will need to register as a delegate, which will entitle you to attend the Scientific Seminars and the Exhibition. With about 40 platform sessions on a wide array of biotechnology topics and fully supported by complimentary poster sessions and an exhibition, this Biotechnology Congress promises to be an essential event for all parties interested in modern biotechnology applications and related topical issues. Registered delegates are entitled to: • Attend sessions of the Congress for which they have been booked for • A set of Congress abstract proceedings • Access to the list of Conference delegates; available prior to the event • Access to the Exhibition • A peer reviewed “Scientific Proceedings” manual that will be published after the congress. Delegates may register for the full 5 days (Or partially). This will be communicated later. Please contact the Congress Secretariat for further details on how to do so. Post-graduate student posters Post-graduate students (MSc. And PhD) are invited to present the results of their academic research at this major international congress and to benefit from the considerable networking opportunities this exposure presents. Subjects may be from any biotechnology topic relevant to the Congress and all accepted presentations will be entered into the Post-graduate student poster competition. Each post-graduate student accepted into this session will receive free Congress registration and related entitlements. Congress Programme Running over five days (3rd quarter 2008), the Congress Programme will include about 40 platform and poster sessions and an exhibition. The Congress opens with Congress keynote lectures to be presented by an eminent scientist, policy & governmental representatives and a biotechnology farmer from Africa. Scientists from the AU, EU and USA will also present a keynote lecture. Exhibition Global companies and other regional companies dealing with biotechnologies relevant to Africa’s development needs are encouraged to exhibit at the congress. Those interested should contact the Congress Secretariat for fee requirements and more details. Field Visits Congress participants will have an opportunity to visit selected sites around Nairobi where biotechnology research and applications are underway. This will include labs, biotech firms, GMO trial fields and farmer fields. An afternoon session will also be arranged for participants to have a privilege of visiting the world famous and only National Park located on the precincts of a city, i.e. The Nairobi National Park.