First issue of 'Biotech. Ghana' out

Accra (Greater Accra) 28 Feb 2000- The first issue of "Biotech. Ghana", a technical journal of the Ghana Biotechnology Development Programme (BDP) has been published.

The primary objective of the BDP is to ensure food security through the use of disease-free planting materials and aquaculture to improve the health status and nutrition of both man and livestock.

The BDP also aims at diagnosing and producing vaccines for key diseases and the characterisation of medicinal plants.

It is a collaborative project involving the Graduate School of Environmental Studies (GSES), University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, United Kingdom and Science and Technology Policy Research Institute (STEPRI) of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).

The Department for International Development of UK is funding the project.

The Biotechnology and Nuclear Agricultural Research Institute (BNARI) of the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC) are the scientific consultants of the BDP.

The 12-page Newsletter carries a detailed report of the National Stakeholders Conference held last December at the Best Western Elmina Beach Resort, that provided inputs for policy formulation for the development, utilisation and management of biotechnology.