Government Support is Needed to Improve the Competitiveness of Biotechnology Research

Genetic engineering has been applied in various research programs on agricultural crops in the world. Although not all parties accept these genetically modified crops, but some multinational companies have been successfully selling these products to the markets. "However, public acceptance of the products of genetic engineering, show significantly that another biotechnology methods have contributed for the achievement of world food security," stated the scientist of Donald Danfort  Plant Science Research Center, of St.Louis, the  USA, Dr.Roger N. Beachy .
 
Meanwhile, the Director of SEAMEO BIOTROP, Dr. Bambang Purwantara said that mostly the Indonesian scientists  experience difficulties in applying the results of their research on  biotechnology to the community. "Such condition occurs due to climate research in our country is not yet conducive. The researchers of the National Reserach Institutions are  unable to compete with their colleagueses from multinational companies like Monsanto or Syngenta. Therefore, government support is really needed to equilize the productivity of researchers of the National Reserach Institutions.  One of the methods to support them is by empowering researchers to help resolve the productivity of food crops of BUMN (The State Owned Enterprises), "explained Dr. Bambang in the 2012 Meeting of Biotechnology Experts held by  Bogor Agricultural University (IPB).
 
On that special occasion, current research programs of genetically modified crops in Indonesia were presented, they include: (1). Genetic engineering research of the Graduate Students’ dissertation presented by one of the Professor on Biotechnology, Prof. Sudarsono; (2). Genetically modified sugar cane plants II by IPB Biotechnology Specialists, Dr. Dwi Andreas; (3). Potato plants by Researcher of Balai Besar Bioteknologi dan Sumberdaya Genetik Pertanian (Research Center for Agricultural Biotechnology and Genetic Resources), Dr. M. Herman; and (4). Rice by Peneliti Lembaga Penelitian Ilmu Pengetahuan Indonesia Researcher of Institutes for Science Indonesia (LIPI), Dr.Satya Nugraha. Present at this occasion, Vice Rector for Research and Cooperation of IPB, Prof. Dr. Ir. Miftah Anas Fauzi and Deputy Head of Research and Development for Field Crops of the Ministry of Agriculture, Dr.Hasmi Sembiring. (Wied).