VZCZCXYZ0000
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHLM #0015/01 0081536
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 081536Z JAN 10
FM AMEMBASSY COLOMBO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1089
INFO RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 3675
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
RUEHRC/DEPT OF AGRICULTURE WASHDC

UNCLAS COLOMBO 000015 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAGR ECON ETRD TBIO KPAO
SUBJECT: SRI LANKA PROPOSAL FOR FY10 BIOTECHNOLOGY OUTREACH STRATEGY 
AND DEPARTMENT RESOURCES 
 
EEB/TPP/MTAA/ABT for Marcella Szymanski and Jack Bobo 
 
REF: STATE 122732 
 
¶1. Post appreciates the opportunity to request support for 
biotechnology outreach programs for Sri Lanka.  Sri Lanka has put 
forward regulations which require prior approval and mandatory 
labeling of GM food imports, which hinder U.S food exports to Sri 
Lanka.  The country's domestic agriculture sector is largely 
inefficient, and biotechnology could be an important tool to 
increase farmer productivity.  Post requests funds to sponsor a 
conference on biotechnology to pave the way to facilitate 
biotechnology in Sri Lanka. 
 
¶2. Biotechnology is discussed at many forums and its importance to 
domestic agriculture is acknowledged by local scientists.  However, 
there is no significant progress towards application of the 
technology in local farming with biotechnology being confined to 
research activities.  There is a lack of expertise and capacity 
locally for transfer of the technology from research to field 
applications. 
 
Outreach Proposal for Sri Lanka 
------------------------------- 
 
¶3. Post requests funding to organize a biotechnology conference in 
association with a private sector biotechnology research company. 
Post aims to engage local biotechnology regulators and scientists to 
discuss the practical applications of biotechnology.  The conference 
will also seek to address the subject of 'Genetic Modification of 
Plants' to educate the research community in Sri Lanka on the 
underlying technologies pertaining to plant biotechnology and on 
their many beneficial applications for the alleviation of a variety 
of contemporary problems.  The focus will also stress the need for 
transparent, science-based regulations that do not hinder trade. 
 
¶4. Through the conference, Post also plans to emphasize to 
agriculture scientists, university professors, and officials of the 
Department of Agriculture the immense potential the technology 
offers to increase food security, alleviate poverty, and protect the 
environment.  The conference will also demonstrate in a laboratory 
environment, the technical aspects and finer points of genetic 
modification of plants to participants. 
 
Cost and Target Audience 
------------------------ 
 
¶5. The Cost of the proposed program will be approximately $12,000. 
These costs will include renting the hall for 5 days, speaker fees, 
chemical and demonstration materials, stationery, utility costs, and 
incidentals. 
 
¶6. Target Audiences include: Government officials responsible for GM 
food regulation; Private sector agricultural associations and 
industry leaders; Agriculture scientists involved in biotechnology 
research and officials responsible for development of domestic 
agriculture; Agriculture University officials; and the National 
Science Foundation. 
 
Issues and Objectives 
--------------------- 
 
¶7. Specific agbiotech issues to be addressed include: regulations 
relating to prior approval and mandatory labeling of GM food (this 
regulation is being gradually implemented and is affecting U.S. GM 
food exports); and biotech in domestic agriculture.  (NOTE: Biotech 
is identified as an important tool to develop local agriculture in 
Sri Lanka.  However, there are no commercial biotech crops in 
production.  We plan to spur discussion on how the technology can 
move from trials and tests to commercial production.  We believe 
that if biotechnology were introduced locally, regulators would not 
be able to prevent imports of GM products.  END NOTE.) 
 
¶8. This project meets USG policy objectives because the conference 
would help local scientists grasp technical aspects of plant gene 
modification which would hopefully act as an impetus to apply 
biotechnology in local agriculture.  The expansion and advancement 
of commercial biotechnology being a USG policy objective, this 
conference would focus on converting research into applied 
biotechnology. 
 
¶9. Furthermore, the conference will focus on the potential of 
biotechnology to develop domestic agriculture and instill serious 
thinking among policymakers to adopt biotechnology in local farming. 
 This also meets the USG policy objective to help the country 
achieve important food security needs.  The arbitrary use of 
insecticide is a major issue that biotechnology could effectively 
resolve. 
 
¶10. Post responsible officer: Ken Kero-Mentz, Economic Officer. 
 
Email: KeroKA@state.gov, Tel: 94-11-249-8500. 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶11. Sri Lanka is in an important position with respect to 
biotechnology.  The country has in place regulations to label, 
regulate and control the import of GM foods and utilization of 
biotechnology in domestic agriculture.  USDA has expressed concern 
about the contents of some of the regulations in various meetings 
and forums with local counterparts, noting that the regulations are 
not consistent with a scientific approach to the technology and 
lacks transparency.  As a result, the regulations are affecting US 
food exports to the country.  Local agricultural scientists have 
identified biotechnology as a tool to improve the domestic 
agriculture sector by increasing productivity and farmer incomes, 
reducing insecticide usage, increasing yields and contributing to 
overall food security objectives of the country.  This conference, 
coming at this point as post-war Sri Lanka opens up vast areas to 
agriculture, is a vital part in our attempts to change the 
conversation about biotech issues in the country.  End comment. 
 
BUTENIS