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1. "Establishing a Namibian National Biosafety Framework", Project initiated in 1998, donor UNEP/GEF, implementing agency UNEP.

Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) decides that the Global Environmental Facility (GEF) shall provide financial resources to developing countries for capacity building in biosafety.
In November 1997 , the 10th GEF Council approves the Pilot Biosafety Enabling Activity project (2.7 million USD, 18 countries involved).
Namibia being one of the first 18 countries participating in this UNEP/GEF Pilot Project, initiated the project in 1998.After almost two years (late 1999) after completing its task, the project ended with a few remarkable outputs:
 

Cabinet approved the national policy in November 1999 following a lot of consultation with the major key players.
Th. national policy provides also for The interim period while waiting for the draft legislation to be approved (see Institutional Arrangements)

The activities under this project were carried out by assigned consultants and the proof of correctness was done by the Namibian Biotechnology Alliance together with external experts (group consisting of people from the line ministries, private sectors, NGO's with expertise in related fields)

Workshops were held after each activity of the projects to:


 

2. "Awareness in biotechnology and biosafety", donor Rockefeller, coordinator Africa Bio
According to a in-country survey, a number of stakeholders in Namibia were identified such as: decision and policy makers, members of the general public, consumers, farmers, industrialists, the media and others.
The survey identified the following issues of concerns in Namibia:

To address these issues of concerns the task force of this project intends to run a number of intensive and extensive training workshops targeted at various special groups such as politicians, the biosafety registrar, the biosafety board, farmers, consumers.

The project aims also to encourage the embarking on a programme on Staff Development to create a critical mass of scientists and technicians in the country.

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3."Spotting loop-holes in the NBF (National Biosafety Framework) and identifying the capacity building needs", donor USAID, coordinator SARB (Southern African Regional Biosafety Programme) -Pretoria Roodeplaat

The project has four major objectives:
1. It shall test the practicability and efficiency of the administrative and regulatory framework.
(under this project Namibia will carry out exercises during training workshops bringing together different stakeholders in order to fully understand the procedures to be followed in case of :applications for GMO field trials, GMO commercial releases, application for registration of facilities for the contained use of LMOs)

2. It shall create awareness and confidence among key players: applicants, regulatory agency and the public

3.The result of this exercise will facilitate the allocation and will promote the efficient use of the limited resources for training and development of institutional and human capacities

4.It shall facilitate the cooperation between different regulatory agencies (e.g. food safety, plant quarantine etc)

4."Implementation of the National Biosafety Framework, donor UNEP/GEF", implementing agencies: UNEP  and Namibian Government  funding being managed by UNDP (United Nations Development Programme)

Having succeeded in developing the national biosafety framework Namibia is now facing the problems related to its effective implementation, which is limited by a poor institutional and human resource capacity.
The project proposal is therefore tailored to meet the above mentioned requirements and needs by:
 

Training activities under this project are:

- establishment of a reference laboratory where GMO's could be tested , some limited research activities will need training personnel on the job
-training for the registrar and the biosafety administrative unit
-training for the biosafety board (this include the scientific body which will deal with risk assessment and risk management and  the decision making body)
-training for the custom officers at the point of entries
-training for the information management officers on the Biosafety Clearing House
-training for farmers and consumer group representatives
 

Expected outcome of the project:

-establishment of the operational mechanism for biosafety management in Namibia
-expand and strengthen laboratory facilities in order to improve the ability to screen LMO's and monitor/manage the risks associated to their transfer,  handling and use
-strengthen national capacity of the main stakeholders
-strengthen the national information system-strengthen awareness on biosafety and biotechnology related issues

Project is being coordinated by the National Coordination Committee (NCC), with following members:
Name Institution Alternate
 Institution
Mr G Rhodes MAWRD Ms P Shiyelekeni MAWRD
Ms G Tjipura-Zaire CVL Ms RS Kaumunika CVL
Ms J Scholz Consumer Lobby Mr B Zieckenoppasser Consumer Lobby
Ms I Geingos MHETEC Ms E Ngololo MHETEC

Mr F Amulungu 		MHSS    

Mr C Brock 		Agronomic Board Mr J Hoffmann Consultant
  
Mr S Shikongo MET Ms J Katijyrua MET
Dr M Kandawa-Schulz Project Coordinator
     
Ms M Moldovan Project Administrator
     
Mr J Malan MET
     
MTI representative
     
MFMR representative      

 

NCC is meeting 4 times every year, during the project implementation.

NCC meetings - 2004:

1st meeting: 4 March 2004
2nd meeting: 8 July 2004
3rd meeting: 2 September 2004
4th meeting: 2 December 2004

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