Ladies and gentlemen,

The progress of humanity has been made possible thanks to the mastery by human being of sciences and technology, Africa, the cradle of Humanity, of Science and techniques, is today lagging behind indispensable discoveries to ensure the development and well-being of its populations.

In Africa, the lack of dialogue between the scientific community and the other actors has weakened development policies.

That is why, we have to rejoice over the co-operation between Scientists and development actors. Today’s conference shows the commitment of the co-operation in favor of the well-being of human being through the increase of productivity and competitiveness in the agricultural sector.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Distinguished participants,

In the agricultural domain, the knowledge and the know-how of the Man of Neolithic have contributed to tame both fauna and for a worlds. The works of MENTAL in the mid of the nineteenth century and the exploitation of heredity sciences by man have contributed to the improvement and selection of species to increase outputs and to start up the Green Revolution in some regions of the world.

Moreover, thanks to the discovery of the DNA and the genetic code which further clarify the intra-cellular relation and the mode of expression of genes, humans have succeeded in developing new communication techniques such as the digital and information science.

Today, the "gene revolution" help ensure, on the one hand, productivity, regularity of output, resistance to infectious or climate threatening factors, and on the other hand, satisfaction of food and organoleptic needs, by strengthening the agricultural products processing and marketing quality.

Today, FAO’s experts encourage the use of biotechnologies in the agricultural field to increase productivity and reduce hunger all over the world. This biotechonological revolution is not only at the origin of recorded progress in the agricultural sector, but also in other domains such as the management of natural resources, health, and industry.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Distinguished participants,

Considering the progress in science and technology, the 3rd millennium will be the one of modern biotechnology. The applications will serve the growing needs of humanity. According to the current estimates, the world will be home to eight and half billion people by the year 2025. This demographic boom will be more significant in the developing countries particularly in Africa which population will reach one billion and two hundred million.

The continent should increase its current production from ten to twelve times in order to satisfy these population needs. To achieve this challenge, the African continent needs to acquire and adapt biotechnologies to agricultural sector.

Yet, the hopes raised by the application of science and technology in agriculture are followed by fears and controversies in both the scientific circle and ordinary citizen one. The recurrent issue is to know how to increase productivity in agriculture without causing harm to humans and environment. The Carthagena protocol on how to prevent from biotechnological hazards advocates the use of biotechnology concomitantly with a mastery of bio-safety measures.

So far, most African countries have ratified this protocol and have begun the implementation of the necessary measures to ensure safety in the use of biotechnology in their agriculture.

For its part, Burkina Faso is experimenting the production of transgenic cotton through a collaboration of its researchers with the MONSANTO Firm.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Honorable participants,

I have no doubt that at the end of your exchanges, some relevant recommendations will be formulated on the best articulation between sciences, technologies in order to ensure the development of the African agriculture by giving accurate responses to our producers and decision makers’ questionings and expectations.

The realization of such a wish requires a strong political will from African leaders and a support from the international community. This support should in priority aim at marking science and technology with the concern for excellence and practical utility.

The creation of an African Center for research, information and training in biotechnology will strengthen cooperative relationship between African institutes and those of the rest of the world, to give a motivating career to researchers and attract high level senior personnel, who accept investing themselves in scientific and technological research.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Honorable guests,

Before leaving this tribune, I would like to express once again my gratitude to my honorable brothers from Ghana, Mali and Niger for having given a positive response to my invitation.

Your effective presence in this conference is the concrete translation of your renewed commitment to support this fortunate initiative from the Government of the United States of America about which African populations have many expectations.

It is also the sign of a renewal and a dynamism fro the development of our agriculture and its successful entry in the globalized world.

I wish to express my gratitude to the federal Government of the United States of America, to the USDA and the USAID for their financial contributions which enable the organization and holding of this important meeting in Ouagadougou.

I would eventually like to thank the Economic Commission for Africa, the Economic Community of West African States, the Economic and Monetary Union of West Africa and the Permanent Inter-state Committee for the Fight against Drought in the Sahel, which all accepted to sponsor the present conference.