Background
 At the turn of this century, biotechnology emerged as a powerful tool that has contributed to increased agricultural productivity in many countries. Since 1996, biotechnology-derived crops have been commercially planted and their adoption has been increasing steadily; they are now planted by over 8.5 million farmers in 21 countries and cover over 90 million hectares. (ISAAA 2005) Eleven countries growing these crops are from the developing world, for example Brazil, China, India, Argentina and South Africa.
The intense debate over agricultural biotechnology and its application focuses mainly on hypothetical risks and questions related to value, safety and impact (agronomic, economic and environmental). However, the last ten years have seen many of these questions put to rest. Numerous studies and evidence-based fact finding missions have shown that biotechnology-derived products have been proven to be economically viable, environmentally sustainable and as safe as their conventional counterparts.
Most African countries are reluctant to adopt biotechnology-derived products as the policy makers are confronted with contradictory sources of information. Scientific facts are often mixed with social, ethical and political considerations. In the face of a rapidly growing population, declining agricultural productivity and reduced resources available for agricultural research, policy makers are pressed to make the right decisions and are looking for guidance. A case in point is the establishment of the high-Level African Panel on Modern Biotechnology set up by the AU to advise the African Heads of State on a common stand on biotechnology. At the country level, there is need for national scientists and experts to provide policy makers and the general public with evidence-based information needed to harness such technologies.
 African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF - WWW.AATF-AFRICA.ORG ) has established a platform to facilitate the flow of information from the scientific community to policy makers and the general public. The Platform – Open Forum on Agricultural Biotechnology in Africa ( OFAB – www.OFABafrica.org), brings together stakeholders in biotechnology and enable interactions between scientists, journalists, the civil society, industrialists, lawmakers and policy makers.
It is a monthly lunch meeting that provides an opportunity for key stakeholders to know one another, share knowledge and experiences, make new contacts and explore new avenues of bringing the benefits of biotechnology to the African agricultural sector.
The forum provides an opportunity to make formal presentations or to have informal discussions focusing on the relationships between science, technology, innovation, environmental protection, policy, trade, social benefits-sharing and their impact on economic development.
The first Forum was launched on 14th Sept 2006 at the Norfolk hotel in Nairobi, Kenya.
Objectives
Accord stakeholders a unique and dynamic opportunity to discuss all aspects of biotechnology with a view to making recommendations on how the continent can move forward with it.
The aim is to build critical venue for greater and better knowledge-sharing and awareness creation on and understanding of biotechnology.
Through the forum, the scientists would get the much needed chance to impact policy makers on the need to mainstream science and technology on Africa’s development agenda and back tat with adequate funds for R&D.
But above all, these for a would open more doors for discussions on biotechnology as more reports and news generated flow out to the public and more people meet, share contacts, identify more sources of concern and fashion talks on them.
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