ID :
189848
Mon, 06/20/2011 - 16:34
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/189848
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FRIM EYES TIE-UP IN BIOTECHNOLOGY RESEARCH WITH MORE AFRICAN COUNTRIES
By P.Santhia Thevi
KUALA LUMPUR, June 20 (Bernama) -– After having established links with
Nigeria in joint research and forest development, and possibly soon with Gabon,
the Forest Research Institute Malaysia (Frim) has set its sights to extend
similar collaboration in biotechnology to other African countries.
Frim director-general Dr Abdul Latif Mohmod said the linkage would
facilitate the transfer of technology to Africa and in the process, enable them
to exploit natural bio-resources in their countries.
The technology transfer would go a long way in creating a bio-technology
industry and a market for forestry-based products from Africa, he said.
African countries were rich in natural resources but they lacked in research
and development (R&D) and technology development, Abdul Latif told Bernama after
a presentation, 'Roles of FRIM In Nurturing Biotechnology thorough R&D', to the
Langkawi International Dialogue 2011 (LID2011) delegates who visited Frim here
Monday.
Frim had set foot in Africa through collaboration, also referred as twin
campus with the Forest Research Institute Nigeria and expects to sign a
Memorandum of Understanding with Gabon by September, for R&D of herbal products
and forestry development.
"We want to twin with African countries to share the idea of R&D, including
raw materials, safety and efficient processing technology, safety and
efficacious of products from rural areas, branding of products, as well as
sharing of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR).
"The first outcome of such collaboration would be seen in a three-year
period," said Abdul Latif.
This is in line with Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak’s call for an
innovation economy going forward at LID2011, as well as lift the biotechnology
industry.
There was vast potential in the African market, said Abdul Latif, adding
that in the next 10 years, Africa's value of natural products in bio-technology
would be not less than RM50 billion.
"The collaboration holds potential for producing IPR and we aim to produce
30 IPRs for three years, which means 10 per year with an average IPR value
amounting to not less than RM1 million," he said. (US$1=RM3.03)
-- BERNAMA
KUALA LUMPUR, June 20 (Bernama) -– After having established links with
Nigeria in joint research and forest development, and possibly soon with Gabon,
the Forest Research Institute Malaysia (Frim) has set its sights to extend
similar collaboration in biotechnology to other African countries.
Frim director-general Dr Abdul Latif Mohmod said the linkage would
facilitate the transfer of technology to Africa and in the process, enable them
to exploit natural bio-resources in their countries.
The technology transfer would go a long way in creating a bio-technology
industry and a market for forestry-based products from Africa, he said.
African countries were rich in natural resources but they lacked in research
and development (R&D) and technology development, Abdul Latif told Bernama after
a presentation, 'Roles of FRIM In Nurturing Biotechnology thorough R&D', to the
Langkawi International Dialogue 2011 (LID2011) delegates who visited Frim here
Monday.
Frim had set foot in Africa through collaboration, also referred as twin
campus with the Forest Research Institute Nigeria and expects to sign a
Memorandum of Understanding with Gabon by September, for R&D of herbal products
and forestry development.
"We want to twin with African countries to share the idea of R&D, including
raw materials, safety and efficient processing technology, safety and
efficacious of products from rural areas, branding of products, as well as
sharing of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR).
"The first outcome of such collaboration would be seen in a three-year
period," said Abdul Latif.
This is in line with Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak’s call for an
innovation economy going forward at LID2011, as well as lift the biotechnology
industry.
There was vast potential in the African market, said Abdul Latif, adding
that in the next 10 years, Africa's value of natural products in bio-technology
would be not less than RM50 billion.
"The collaboration holds potential for producing IPR and we aim to produce
30 IPRs for three years, which means 10 per year with an average IPR value
amounting to not less than RM1 million," he said. (US$1=RM3.03)
-- BERNAMA
