In agriculture and the agro industry, biotechnology could facilitate the development of improved crops and new products and contribute toward improving production.

Studies in the sphere of space technology and the physics of weightlessness were directed towards the production under microgravity conditions of new organic and inorganic materials and the refinement of the technologies and equipment required for their production, including commercial production.

The technologies employed in the production of a nuclear warhead are fundamentally the same as those found in many industrial environments.

Biodiesel made from plant oils is undoubtedly the most technically and commercially advanced renewable fuel today.

Another study, The new bioeconomy Industrial and environmental biotechnology in developing countries (see UNCTAD DITC TED 12) was published in 2002 to highlight the application and commercialization of industrial biotechnology products in some developing countries and the role trade plays in technology transfer and development.

An advanced course on biochemical engineering applications in environmental biotechnology and cleaner production was held at the Instituto Centroamericano de Investigación y Tecnología Industrial in Guatemala in September.

The technology needed to produce them is not complex, and they could be easily produced locally.

The focus of UN Biotech should be on building productive capacity in all areas of biotechnology, such as industry, health, agriculture and environment, which may help developing countries to become leaders in formulating policies as that technology is developed.

The Technical Cooperation Network on Plant Biotechnology in Latin America and the Caribbean was established in 1990 to accelerate the adaptation, generation, transfer and application of plant biotechnology in relieving crop production constraints and in ensuring genetic resources conservations for the countries in the region.

Production technology

The United Nations University Institute of Advanced Studies undertakes research on biotechnology policy assessment, in particular on best practices by selected Asian countries biotechnology industrial development policies, with a view to developing a medium to long term prospectus on biotechnology development in the Asian region and an assessment of ongoing capacity building initiatives worldwide in the areas of biotechnology and biosafety.

The exhibition displays the latest developments in dual use equipment and production techniques related primarily to the biological and pharmaceutical industries.

Studies in the sphere of space technology and the physics of weightlessness were directed towards the production under microgravity conditions of new organic and inorganic materials and the refinement of the technologies and equipment required for their production, including commercial production.

Even where the products reach the intended targets, failure by communities to trade in biotechnology products could limit the impact of biotechnology.

It allows us to do the art, the biotechnology, the software and all those magic things.

In addition, there are many programmes of IE, EDB and SPRING that target information or technology oriented sectors (such as high tech and bio tech).

E. Biotechnology This section was authored by Raymond A. Zilinskas, Associate Professor, Center for Public Issues in Biotechnology, University of Maryland Biotechnology Institute, Maryland, United States of America.

As a technical arm, it is clearly in a position to closely collaborate with other agencies in fields such as innovation development, biosafety, technology transfer, investment strategies and management, including the development, acquisition and commercialization of biotechnology products, services and industrial processes, as well as in global bioinformatics networking.

Applications of industrial and environmental biotechnology promise to cut the cost of production, the number of processing steps and energy consumption.

UNCTAD also organized several science and technology policy dialogues to address issues related to the development, commercialization and trade in biotechnology related products.

Limit or control production, outlets, investment or technical or commercial advances

Biotechnology is an important component of the FAO International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) programme in food and agriculture, which contributes actively to biotechnology applications in agriculture, forestry and fisheries.

ICGEB International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology

At present, space industry enterprises are converting their production capacities to civilian uses for turning out world standard high technology competitive products relying, among other things, on space technology.

Biotechnological experiments

3. Panel on biotechnology.

The information technology industry alone accounted for 2.6 per cent of India's gross domestic product (GDP), whilst IT goods and services accounted for 21 per cent of the country's exports.

General description Information and communication technologies (ICTs), biotechnology and hydrogen energy technologies are major technological revolutions currently underway, which are bound to have a powerful effect on economic development in the years to come.

Challenges to biotechnology commercialization in developing countries

Safe production technologies are needed.

It opens new markets, permits the expansion of productive capacity, skills and technology transfer, and generates higher levels of income and employment.

In the area of agroindustry, UNIDO promotes the use of biotechnology to develop suitable bioprocesses, including the use of green jute as a raw material in the production of pulp and paper.

development, by rationalization of agricultural production, and through the best possible use of production factors, especially manpower

The Asian and Pacific Centre for Transfer of Technology, a subsidiary of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, in collaboration with the Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, has established the Biotechnology Information Network in Asia and the Pacific. With national focal points in 14 countries, the Network facilitates knowledge sharing, technology development and technology transfer, and promotes the development of biotechnology industries.

E. Biotechnology

Safe applications of biotechnology have the potential to benefit almost all productive sectors.

E. Making effective use of existing technologies, especially ICTs and biotechnologies

In brief, the combination of biofuel and biomass technologies offers greater environmental benefits and the two technologies complement each other.

The Centro para el Desarrollo Agrícola y Forestal (CEDAF) organized the fifth meeting of the Technical Cooperation Network on Plant Biotechnology, which was followed by a Rice Route field day.

5. Developments in biotechnology

Reports of the panel on biotechnology

A study on agricultural technology for semi arid areas in East Africa has been launched with a view to developing sustainable crop production in the drylands of the subregion.

Biotechnology related applications and products have permeated all sectors of the economy.

As with most new technologies, research in biotechnology and the application of its findings could have significant positive and negative socio economic and cultural impacts.

The theme of the 2004 edition of The State of Food and Agriculture was Agricultural biotechnology meeting the needs of the poor? .