Mondiaal Alternatief endorses the Mission statement of Biotech Monitor:

Mission
The mission of the Biotechnology and Development Monitor project (hereafter to be referred to as the Monitor) is to support and improve policy and decision making in the field of research, development, regulation and applications related to biotechnology relevant to developing countries.

The Monitor analyses world-wide developments in biotechnology, and trade and technology related international regulation, in the context of its socio-economic implications for developing countries. The Monitor maintains a rigorously independent position and is not linked to any organisation with vested interests in biotechnology.
The Monitor provides a forum for discussion on the positive and/or negative impact of biotechnological innovations and international regulations on issues such as economic growth, agricultural production, food security, shifts in national and global markets, access to technology, employment, social differentiation and human rights. The analyses are of an interdisciplinary nature, with an emphasis on the integration of theoretical and empirical information from social sciences and natural sciences.

Objectives
• The Monitor strives to allow policy and decision makers to anticipate new developments, and to create awareness of different policy options.
• The Monitor also strives to increase the number of stakeholders in the formulation of biotechnology policies and to facilitate consensus building among different interest groups.
These objectives are achieved by providing quality information based on objective and independent analyses and overviews of recent and new developments in the field of biotechnology, and by supporting capacity building in developing countries on interdisciplinary research.

Justification
The importance of and need for the Monitor is underlined by the fact that biotechnology is developing fast, has a high impact and is an important instrument in dealing with many global issues. Socio-economic implications of biotechnology are and remain highly relevant. The Monitor is unique in that it provides multidisciplinary analyses and has a multi-sectoral focus. Its high degree of credibility and the fact that it is often the only source of up-to-date and relevant information for the target group, notably in developing countries, makes it indispensable.

Target group
The primary target group of the Monitor consists of current and future policy makers, and those groups and individuals that influence policy making. This includes policy makers in the public sector, scientists, industrial organizations, farmers’ organizations, consumers’ organizations, non-governmental organizations, university students in developing and industrialized countries. The target group also includes the people that provide the primary target group with information, e.g. lecturers, journalists and opinion leaders.

More info: Werkgroep Genenmanipulatie en oordeelsvorming

International Forum for Genetic Engineering (Ifgene)