Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) - On 27-28 November, the Center for Advanced Technologies at the Ministry of Innovative Development jointly with UNDP held a training on the application of the Foresight Research methodology for the biotechnology sector of Uzbekistan.

Foresight studies are an effective tool involving a limited selection of national priorities in the field of science and technology, which stimulate innovative activity in the most promising areas of the economy and its sustainable growth (detection and analysis of emerging problems, mapping trends, challenging assumptions using scenarios, etc.).

- According to estimates, the global biotechnology market in 2025 will reach the level of US$2 trillion, growth rates in individual market segments range from 5 - 7 to 30%, annually, ”said Shahlo Turdikulova, Director of the Center for Advanced Technologies. “However, the sphere of biotechnology, with all its promise and the enormous potential size of new markets, has not yet received enough momentum for development in Uzbekistan and, in general, in Central Asia. More than 90% of the biotechnological products that we consume are imported, and the volumes of consumption of biotechnological products remain incomparably low in comparison with both developed and developing countries. At the same time, Uzbekistan has significant scientific potential for research and development of biotechnological products, for example, the Center for Genomics and Bioinformatics, the Center for Advanced Technologies and the Institute of Human Immunology and Genomics have extensive experience in developing DNA technologies and molecular biotechnology, and the Institutes of Bioorganic and Plant Chemistry substances in biotechnology of biologically active substances for pharmaceuticals and agriculture, at the Institutes of Microbiology, Genetics and experimental biol ology of plants and the Institute of General and Inorganic Chemistry - developments in the field of microbial biotechnology. Unfortunately, the lack of bio-industry does not allow for the commercialization of many developments, the production of biotechnological products is carried out in small batches on laboratory equipment, there are no pilot plants, not to mention the industrial scale of production. The review also requires a regulatory framework in which there are no mechanisms for registration and certification of biotechnological products.

The foresight session was conducted by Dr. John Sveni - author, designer and futurologist. As a practitioner, consultant, and educator, John organized, directed, and facilitated seminars, workshops, and Forsyth sessions in more than 40 countries on six continents. John is currently an assistant professor at the Futures and Foresight Department of the Kazakhstan Institute for Advanced Studies, where he is director of the Advanced Research Institute for Advanced Studies (QRIFS).

“Globally, the biotechnology sector has shown significant growth and is projected to continue to accelerate in the coming years,” said Dr Sveni. “Uzbekistan can take advantage of this growth area by identifying emerging issues, mapping trends, imagining a preferred future, and developing a flexible strategy to identify key risks, resources, and relationships. Supportive and forward-looking policies are essential to ensure that the biotechnology sector can survive and thrive in a range of plausible and possible future options.

Foresight is a way out of reactive cycles towards proactive ways of developing policies, planning and strategies, adoption and evaluation. Futures research (futures) offers a range of tools, methods and approaches aimed at institutional transformation and strengthening operational paradigms through curiosity, anticipation and training. This proposal sets out a “future-oriented” approach to policy development for the biotechnology sector of Uzbekistan, which includes: 1) a global horizon scan for new problems and trends; 2) Design and development of a user workshop; and a final report that synthesizes research from a global horizon scan with workshop results, and also includes policy results.

Based on the results of the Foresight session, the vision of the biotechnological sector in Uzbekistan for 2050 was determined, directions for the development of biotechnology in the next 30 years, mechanisms for implementing reforms and methods to overcome possible risks were identified. Steps for the implementation of reforms, executors, and responsible bodies have been identified in stages. Of course, the vision of the biotechnological sector is based on global trends in science, as well as trends in political and public life in the country.

The coaches have shown in practice the use of tools to determine strategic and tactical goals, the development of priority areas in the field of biotechnology, and the interaction of legislative and executive bodies.