VZCZCXRO2893
PP RUEHLH RUEHPW
DE RUEHIL #0046/01 0090626
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 090626Z JAN 09
FM AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0974
INFO RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC
RUEHRC/DEPT OF AGRICULTURE WASHDC
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHINGTON DC
RUEHML/AMEMBASSY MANILA 3118
RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL 9646
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 4279
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 9388
RUEHKP/AMCONSUL KARACHI 0874
RUEHLH/AMCONSUL LAHORE 6605
RUEHPW/AMCONSUL PESHAWAR 5463
RUMICEA/USCENTCOM INTEL CEN MACDILL AFB FL
RHMFISS/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ISLAMABAD 000046 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: ECON EFIN EAID ETRD EAGR KPAO TBIO PK
SUBJECT: POST'S APPEAL FOR FY09 BIOTECHNOLOGY OUTREACH STRATEGY AND 
DEPARTMENT RESOURCES 
 
REF: 08 STATE 129940 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY:  Pakistan played a major role in the original 
Green Revolution.  After several decades of lagging agricultural 
production, the Government of Pakistan (GOP) is looking to make the 
leap to join the Gene Revolution.  Post has outlined an ambitious 
biotech program for FY 2009 and requests EEB funding of $70,000 for 
two proposals including a Biotech Science Fellow and a Pakistan 
Biotechnology Conference.  Improvements in agriculture would also 
positively impact Pakistan's food security and fragile economy, 
directly benefiting USG interests in Pakistan.  END SUMMARY 
 
¶2. (SBU) Despite playing a critical role in the original Green 
Revolution, Pakistan has lagged behind neighbors India and China in 
the development and utilization of modern agricultural 
biotechnology.  The major obstacle to the adoption of legal biotech 
seeds for major crops, particularly cotton, is the lack of 
intellectual property (IPR) protection for seed breeders.  Two 
pieces of legislation, the Plant Breeders' Rights and Amendments to 
the Seed Act of 1976, have long been awaiting promulgation by 
Parliament.  Without adequate IPR protection, no international seed 
company is willing to partner with Pakistan's biotech research 
centers to develop genetically engineered (GE) crops suitable for 
the local climate, existing plant pests and diseases, soil 
conditions including high salinity, and industry technical 
requirements. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Pakistan freely imports certain bioengineered products 
including soybeans, soybean meal and soybean oil derived from GE 
soybeans.  While there is no legal biotech crop planted in Pakistan, 
at least 60 percent of the 2008 cotton crop was illegally planted 
with biotech cotton varieties.  The smuggled seed was developed for 
crop conditions in China, India and Australia, however, and has 
performed poorly against Pakistan's major cotton nemeses:  mealy 
bugs and cotton curly leaf virus. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Current biotech crops under development in Pakistan include 
cotton, wheat, rice, sugarcane, canola (rapeseed), tomatoes, 
potatoes, chilies, peppers and melons.  The desired traits include 
virus resistance, insect resistance, salinity tolerance, drought and 
heat tolerance and male sterility.  The U.S. is currently providing 
food assistance to Pakistan to address urgent short-term needs. 
Improvements in agriculture would not only augment Pakistan's 
longer-term food security, but would also give a much-needed boost 
to the country's ailing economy -- directly benefitting USG 
interests in Pakistan. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Post's biotechnology outreach goals for FY 2009 are: 
 
a)  Assist the GOP through the U.S.-Pakistan Science and Technology 
Agreement in implementation of their proposed Green-to-Gene 
Initiative. 
 
b)  Support promulgation of sensible IPR legislation to allow 
collaboration between international plant breeders and Pakistan's 
biotech research institutes. 
 
c)  Promote scientific exchanges in the area of plant and animal 
genomics through the USDA endowments at the Pakistan Agricultural 
Research Center and agricultural universities. 
 
d) Utilize the International Visitors Leadership Program to send 
Pakistani opinion leaders to the United States on a biotech farm 
tour. 
 
e) Utilize the Foreign Press Center to organize a Biotech Reporting 
Tour for Pakistani media. 
 
f) Invite a well-known Biotech Science Fellow for a three-month 
sabbatical in Islamabad to work with Pakistani policymakers, opinion 
leaders, scientists and educators to identity a way forward for 
adoption of long-overdue biotech crops in Pakistan. 
 
g)  Co-sponsor a two-day Biotechnology Workshop with a prominent 
local organization to address the major issues impeding development 
of agricultural biotechnology in Pakistan.  Publish a report on 
papers presented at the workshop and follow-up discussion. 
 
ISLAMABAD 00000046  002 OF 003 
 
 
 
¶6. (SBU) EEB Biotech funds are requested for the following 
proposals: 
 
a) Provide a Biotech Science Fellow for a three-month sabbatical in 
Islamabad. 
 
Target audience:  Pakistan's policy makers, opinion leaders, 
scientists, high school and university students, teachers, 
professors and media. 
 
Issues to be addressed:  Depending on his/her area of expertise, 
Post would look to the Fellow to provide leadership in identifying 
barriers to the promulgation of biotech IPR legislation; identify 
areas of scientific collaboration and potential research 
partnerships between Pakistani and U.S. scientists; engage in public 
outreach activities with high school students, universities, policy 
makers, opinion leaders and the media to promote the science of 
genetic engineering; and assist in developing a framework for and 
participate in the Pakistan Biotechnology Workshop. 
 
Policy objectives:  Assist the GOP in removing barriers to passage 
of IPR legislation for plant breeders which would allow for 
U.S.-Pakistan collaboration in seed development; promote a positive 
image of biotech crops which has been tarnished as a result of 
illegal biotech cotton plantings; through public outreach and media 
events explain to laymen how biotechnology can help Pakistan meet 
their future food security needs as well as develop superior cotton 
varieties, thus improving the livelihoods of future generations; 
identify areas for scientific collaboration including Biofuels crop 
development. 
 
Estimated cost:  One Science Fellow for 3 months:  $51,000 
 
Proposed length of program:  3 months 
 
b) Co-sponsor a 2-day Biotechnology Conference/Workshop.  U.S. 
speakers would include the Science Fellow and one additional U.S. 
biotech leader.  Most papers presented would be from Pakistani 
biotech leaders in the field of research, policy and education.  A 
conference report would be published with presented papers and 
follow-up discussions. 
 
Target audience:  Pakistan's policy makers, opinion leaders, 
scientists and media. 
 
Issues to be addressed:  Implementation of Pakistan's Green to Gene 
Initiative; IPR barriers to propagation of biotech crops; highlights 
of current biotech research in Pakistan including the race to 
develop crops resistant to identified pests and diseases; biotech 
and food security;  biotech Biofuels; areas for U.S.-Pakistan 
scientific collaboration. 
 
Policy objectives:  Identify the barriers to legal adoption of 
biotechnology in Pakistan's agricultural economy and steps needed to 
begin the proposed Gene Revolution; identify how biotech can assist 
in meeting Pakistan's food security needs including on-going 
research in wheat stem rust and other looming plant and pest 
threats; identify challenges in developing biotech crops for the 
Biofuels industry; and identify potential U.S.-Pakistan scientific 
collaboration under the U.S.-Pakistan Science and Technology 
Agreement. 
 
Estimated cost:  $19,000 
Additional U.S. participant:  $16,000 for two weeks 
Conference room:  $2,000 
Publication:  $1,000 
 
Proposed length of program:  2 days 
 
Responsible Officers:  Joseph M. Carroll, Agricultural Counselor, 
Joe.Carroll@usda.gov; CarrollJM@state.gov; 92-51-208-2274.  J.M. 
Saxton-Ruiz, Economic Officer, Saxton-RuizJM@state.gov; 
92-51-208-2667. 
 
¶7. (SBU) Post hopes that EEB will look favorably upon this request 
for funding to assist the Government of Pakistan in their efforts to 
 
ISLAMABAD 00000046  003 OF 003 
 
 
make the jump from the Green Revolution to the Gene Revolution, and 
to once again become a world leader in agricultural science.