Awareness on "Biosafety Aspects of GE Plants"

Course Description

The course on “Biosafety Aspects of GE Plants” has been prepared as part of UNEP/GEF supported Phase II Capacity Building Project on Biosafety implemented by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), Government of India. Biotech Consortium India Limited (BCIL) served as the Project Coordination Unit (PCU).

The objective of the project is to strengthen biosafety management system in India with a view to ensure adequate level of protection for transfer, handling and use of living modified organisms also referred to as genetically modified organisms. The project activities focused on four thrust areas viz. risk assessment and risk management (RARM), handling, transport, packaging and identification (HTPI), socio economic consideration (SEC) and enhancing public awareness (PA).

The course modules are based on the “Biosafety Resource Kit” consisting of five brochures on important biosafety aspects and guidance documents prepared under the project. BCIL is the technical agency for development of e-course. Centre for e-Learning, Shri Guru Tegh Bahadur Khalsa (SGTB) College, University of Delhi designed the course. The following aspects are covered:

1. Introduction to GE plants

2. Regulatory framework for GE plants

3. Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety

4. Confined field trials of GE plants

5. Food safety assessment for GE plants

6. Environment safety assessment for GE plants

The course is available in two languages i.e. English and Hindi and are available as Unit- 1 and Unit-2.

This course on “Biosafety Aspects of GE Plants” has been prepared for students, teachers and other stakeholders under the component on enhancing public awareness in understanding biosafety aspects based on factual information.