08:30 – 08:45

Catch of the day

Dr. Dominic Byaraguba reviewed Wednesday’s events and discussions - highlighting the involvement of the State Minister and the gene bank tour as well as the afternoon debates, centring on the mandatory nature and the appropriate name for the certificate.

08:45 – 10:00

Reality check: Presentation of bioprospecting cases

Facilitator: Suhel al-Janabi

The facilitator detailed the day’s agenda and introduced the presentations. Participants were split into three groups, for the purpose of the later group work on reflecting the GTE recommendations on a Certificate of Compliance with National Legislation against the presented bioprospecting cases.

The presentations:

	ZA-HoodiaGordonii-RW-2007-03.ppt Rachel Wynberg, 2007. Hoodia case study.	2.4 MB
	KE-AlcaliphilicBacteria-PM-2007-03.ppt Peter Munyi, 2007. Commercialisation of alkaliphilic bacteria originating from Kenya.	413 kB
	CM-PrunusAfricana-AN-2007-03.ppt Augustine B. Njamnshi, 2007. The Case of Prunus africana, Cameroon.	809 kB

10.00 – 10.30

Coffee break

10:30 - 12:00

Reality check: Options for a certificate of "???"

Facilitators: Suhel al-Janabi, Valerie Normand, Dr. Andreas Drews

Each of the presented cases was discussed in one of the previously determined groups. The following guiding questions were given to the groups:

• Rationale / Need / Objectives: what would be the value added of a certificate?
• Should it be a certificate of origin, source, legal provenance or compliance?
• Characteristics and features: should it be voluntary or mandatory, what should it include, and who should regulate it?
• Implementation challenges: how should benefits, costs and practicability issues be dealt with?

12.00 – 12.30

Preparation for the field visit in DebreZeit

Facilitator: Suhel al-Janabi

The facilitator introduced and outlined the programme of excursion to Ada'a Woreda near Bishoftu (DebreZeit) town. There particiopants would be exposed to first hand experience with the teff biopropsecting case against which the GTE's recommendations for an  Certificate of Compliance with National Legislation should be tested. The visit to the teff farmers in Ada’a, which are supervised by the national Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research, would provide insights into producers aspects and interests on a certificate. Through a moderated discussion afterwards at a venue in DebreZeit the participants would be exposed to the perspective of the private and governmetal sector on the beff bioprospecting and commercialisation experience.

12.30 – 14:00

Brown bag lunch on the way to DebreZeit

14:00 -15:00

Visit of the teff farmers in  Ada'a Woreda near DebreZeit

Under a huge acacia tree teff farmers explained the procedure of growing and harvesting teff. Afterwards the participants were able to interview teff farmers on the production procedure and income issues. Lively discussions resulted from the brief explanations of Hans Turkensteen, who is commercialising teff in Europe, about the improved production methods for teff in Europe. Especially the farmers were eager to get more information about these production techologies.

The visit was concluded by testing a number of new teff products, which are available in the European market, but not (yet) in Ethiopia - such as sports bars, noodles, bread and beer.

15:00 -15:30

Transfer to DebreZeit and coffee break

15:30 -18:00

Teff – an Ethiopian-Dutch Bioprospecting Case

Facilitator: Peter Munyi

As an introduction to the following presentations and discussions a 10 min documentary of the teff bioprospecting case was shown, which was aired by German TV in the ZDF/3sat science magazine “nano” during COP 8 as an illustration of the issues under discussion in Curitiba.

This film was followed by two presentations illustrating the provider and user perspectives:

	ET-EragrostisTef-IBC-FW-2007-03.ppt Feaven Workiye, 2007. Agreement on access to, and benefit-sharing from, teff genetic resources.	744 kB
	ET-EragrostisTef-HPFI-HT-2007-03.ppt J. Turkensteen, 2007. Agreement Ethiopia (IBC & EARO) & Health and Performance Food International bv.	675 kB

More information on the teff case as well as on the other cases presented in the morning session is available in the documents section.

A panel representing al stakeholder groups involved in the teff bioprospecting case was asked to discuss the following key issues:

• the terms and implications of the ABS agreement,
• the business potential, and
• the level of benefit-sharing.

Mr. Turkensteen, Health and Food Performance bv, The Netherlands: 
He explained that his company obtained over 375 Teff varieties from gene banks around the world. In field trials ten varieties that most suited the growths conditions in Western Europe were isolated. Through selection and improved production technologies yields could be improved and his company now grows teff commercially in the Netherlands and the USA. It sells now a number of teff products including bread and sports bars in the Netherlands as health and slim food. The processing and recipies of these products are now protected by a patent granted by the European Patent Office.

He argued that Ethiopia is hindering private interests by overly regulating the market. Furthermore, the small scale nature of farming in Ethiopia is a barrier to large scale commercial teff production in the country. He explained the structure of the benefit-sharing arrangements, highlighting a European Foundation that is 50/50 owned by his company and IBC and that the Foundation presently controls a fund of € 500,000 for use in Ethiopia as well as owning the rights to the modified improved teff varieties under UPOV.

Dr. Girma Balcha, Institute fo Biodiversity Conservation (IBC), Ethiopia:
He highlighted that until now hardly any benefits accrued to Ethiopia. However, he expressed confidence that the administrative problems could be resolved rather soon. He looked forward to the benefits flowing into Ethiopia.

The farmer stated that he was not aware of any ABS agreements on teff, but he welcomed the prospect of more commercial production of teff, and would entertain changing his farming methods to achieve this aim.

The Ministry representative congratulated the parties on their successful work. 

The information provided especially by Mr. Turkensteen initiated a lively and engaged discussion among the participants regarding the patent issue, the UPOV protection of teff, as Ethiopia is not a member of UPOV, and the benefit-sharing arrangements in general between IBC and EARO on one side and Health and Food Performance on the other.

These issues were taken up again in the next day's work.

18:00-22:00

Return to Addis Ababa and dinner with cultural show at the Crown Hotel