SUDBIOTECH: a training initiative in plant biotechnology dedicated to scientific communities in developing and emerging countries

Abstract

Reprint Address: Rival, A (reprint author), Cirad BioS, UMR DIAPC, Ctr IRD, F-34394 Montpellier 15, France ; International audience ; The SudBiotech project is targeting PhD and Masters Programmes in Universities and Excellence Research Centres located in developing countries. It proposes an integrative and multidisciplinary approach under the form of a one-week discovery and training itinerary SudBiotech is aimed at addressing various different fields of Plant Biotechnology, under the specific socioeconomic context of scientific communities from these countries. Our main goal is to train students, research staff, deciders, professionals and journalists to the basic knowledge underlying applications of plant biotechnologies, in order to both update the amount of knowledge which is requested at Master's level and to acquire a solid body of in formation which is indispensable for any decision making, in a field of research which is often the target of political, social and media-related pressure. The team of Professors involved in the project shares a strong experience in teaching and training in overseas French Speaking Universities (AUPELF-UREF projects in Marocco, Tunisia, Togo, Cote d'Ivoire, TEMPUS Programme in Lebanon, AUF-Actions de Recherche en Restart in Benin). The team is composed of senior scientists acting in various complementary fields, namely Biochemistry/Physiology (A Nato), Plant Breeding/Molecular Biology (Y Henry), Tropical Agriculture/Epigenetics (A Rival). Thanks to these complementarities, SudBiotech is able to propose a training itinerary which is diversified and integrated, covering areas from the plant cell and its original potentialities to the most recent industrial applications of plant biotechnologies (GMOs), their public acceptance in developing and emerging nations and their applicability to tropical plant commodities. The training offer is amplified and enriched through the active role of local research and training staff; who are encouraged to actively participate in the ...