JAKARTA - Indonesia plans to use genetically modified crops to boost food staples such as rice, soybean and corn once a draft law is passed, an agriculture official said on Tuesday.

GM technology using genes to modify crops in order to yield more output has previously faced resistance in the country in case of health or biodiversity risks.

"The draft for biotechnology projects including funding, reassessment, impacts on environment and crops is ready. The other laws are also ready to support it," Eri Sofari, a biotechnology expert at the agriculture ministry, told a seminar.

The official said a biodiversity security committee needed to be formed before the technology could be used.

Sofari said the GM crop-seeds would be imported from the United States and European based companies but research and seed reproduction would be conducted in Indonesia.

The official said GM crops were needed to avoid food shortages and dependence on imports.

Indonesia is one of Southeast Asia's largest importers of rice, as output is often insufficient to meet demand from its 220 million people.

In 2001, Indonesia planned to cultivate 20,000 hectares (49,400 acres) of GM cotton in South Sulawesi sponsored by US biotechnology giant Monsanto Co.

But the programme was stopped after meeting strong protests from non-governmental organizations.