An international conference with the aim to initiate an integrated regional knowledge management (KM)-based sharing of research, experiences and lessons on KM interventions in agricultural biotechnology, will take off in Thailand this October.

Dubbed ‘International Conference on Knowledge Management in Agricultural Biotechnology: The Asian Experience (KM in Agri-biotech 2009)’, the conference is organized by the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) together with the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA), Program for Biosafety Systems (PBS), and the Agricultural Biotechnology Support Project II (ABSP II). It will convene policy makers, technology and R&D managers, scientists, knowledge managers and officers, and development planners with initiatives on agricultural biotechnology at the Rama Gardens Hotel, Bangkok, Thailand on 1 – 2 October 2009.

The KM in Agri-biotech 2009 hopes to provide an avenue where key actors in biotechnology may: 1) share experiences and lessons on advocacy, dissemination, capacity building, and networking on agricultural biotechnology, as well as its application/adoption, thereby reflecting on its relevant KM schemes and frameworks in Asia; 2) update on KM models and practices applicable to the contemporary issues and challenges facing agriculture R&D and agri-based industries; and 3) discuss KM arrangements and identify priority and collaborative KM initiatives in agri-biotech for Asia.

The conference will feature distinctive speakers with diverse perspectives on thematic plenary sessions in KM and agricultural biotechnology, KM platforms for agri-biotech regulatory policies, capacity building, and KM networking. A workshop will follow breaking out the participants into small groups to discuss relevant components of a regional collaboration on KM in agricultural biotechnology and recommend policy directions.