South Africa has launched an ambitious policy for biotechnology, according to the Science and Development Network. The Department of Science and Technology document has identified the main beneficiaries as health services, agriculture, industry, mining and the environment.
Implementing this road map will require significant advances. The policy calls for the establishment of world-class genomics capability, with at least one national facility and a number of centres of excellence. It also emphasises the need to develop cell- and tissue-culture technologies, such as cloning, stem-cell research, plant-tissue culture and gene banks.
It envisions transgenics — the transfer of genes between species — developing from a general laboratory technique into a field capable of generating globally competitive products and processes.
It also proposes that a few major projects in this field with a strong chance of success should be prioritised for funding.
Minister of Science and Technology Mosibudi Mangena has also identified needs related to the design, testing and manufacture of drugs and vaccines. Among these are improved biosensors, particularly those designed to monitor metabolite levels in humans and animals, and bioassays, which identify compounds in screening programmes.
Beyond physical needs such as ”clean room” technology needed for high-tech electronics and materials science research, as well as bioreactor design, he has called for better manufacturing practices.
The report adds that South Africa must also promote human resource development and develop greater awareness of the need for and potential of bioinformatics — the application of computer analysis to biological research.
The government adopted a national biotechnology strategy in 2001, committing an initial R450-million from 2004 to 2007 to biotechnology development. The strategy highlighted the importance of a ”bioeconomy”.
Although South Africa has been involved in biotechnology research and development for more than 30 years, and biotechnologies are used in industrial sectors such as food and beverages and waste-water treatment, commercialisation has been limited.
Ben Durham, head of biotechnology in the Department of Science and Technology, said the next step will be to distribute the report widely within the industry to encourage consideration of biotechnology opportunities. — SciDev.Net