ATPS has initiated a project on biotechnology in sub-Saharan Africa to support the regional Policy Dialogue on Biotechnology. The project, funded by the Rockefeller Foundation, is also designed to guide African nations in developing biotechnology and biosafety guidelines and regulations through generating, disseminating and brokering knowledge.

According to ATPS the challenge for Africa on biotechnology has four components:

There is need to identify and develop a cadre of African researchers and policy analysts in biotechnology policy.

African nations need to embark on rigorous policy research on the potential risks and benefits of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and other forms of biotechnology.

There is need for Africa to develop relevant policies to ensure that emerging technologies are designed to support indigenous farmers and increase food security while decreasing dependency.

There is need to institute knowledge exchange and training methods that use research products to inform policy makers.

ATPS is combining advocacy and non-partisan scholarly research and training to achieve the objectives of the project. The ATPS Programme on Biotechnology focuses on at least three key objectives, namely:

To improve information exchange and dialogue on biotechnology and biosafety in and among African countries

To facilitate the development of guidelines and discussion documents on biosafety and intellectual property rights

To train policy makers and create the social capital necessary for African countries to benefit from biotechnology

The programme took off with national and regional dialogues and knowledge exchange sessions in different parts of Africa. There have also been policy interventions to support the discussions of the on-going efforts in Africa to craft biotechnology policies, biosafety laws and other regulatory instruments. The national and regional dialogues became necessary precursors to other components of the programme to:

help discern, generate and prioritize key issues of concern on the African countries vis-a-vis biotechnology and its potential contributions to the continent

promote knowledge exchange and information flow between and among different actors and stakeholders in the biotechnology industry; these dialogues have attempted to develop a consensus among the key players on the potential contribution of biotechnology to Africa's development, allay any unfounded fears and agree on the national and regional priorities

guide the other components of the programme by setting the research agenda thereby ensuring that research funded under the programme addresses issues of immediate concern to the African countries; identify key elements of an intellectual property regime that incorporates African values and traditions; and help African countries develop a sui generis system of protection that meets international standards while protecting African indigenous knowledge base

Form part of the needs assessment to guide the planned training and capacity building efforts projected by ATPS as part of the biotechnology programme

provide support to the African Union/New Partnership for Africa's Development (AU/NEPAD) high-level panel on biotechnology: The African Panel on Biotechnology (APB) was set up by the AU/NEPAD to guide the development of biotechnology in Africa. ATPS uses national and regional dialogues to solicit views and concerns from key African biotechnology stakeholders that are being compiled and will be submitted to the NEPAD secretariat in Pretoria, South Africa when the dialogues are over.