A Comprehensive Evaluation of Plant Biotechnology Activities in Agrobioinstitute

ABSTRACT

An independent and competent evaluation of AgroBioInstitute (ABI) functioning in the area of plant biotechnology was implemented in the frame of project “Biotechnology Approaches in ABI at the Service of Crop Breeding” (PlantBioServ), funded by EC. It was achieved by evaluation of research capacity building, training and education capability; coordination and network potential and human capacity of ABI in the fields of plant biodiversity, plant abiotic and biotic stress, and molecular genetics of plants. Three evaluators, nominated by EC, worked in close and permanent contact and thus gave a complete and fully valuable evaluation of ABI. The staff of ABI contributed actively to the coordination and effectiveness of the support mechanisms and accomplishment of the associated work plan. The main results of the project were development of a SWOT analysis of the AgroBioInstitute, an Action Plan to improve the ABI's RTD capacity with a Plan for implementation and a Strategic Framework Programme (2010–2013) which defines ABI's development goals and objectives and thematic areas in which the ABI will focus its work. The information about the project was disseminated at national level at Open Information Day (OID) for scientists and farmers and at international level on the IXth meeting of International Consultative Council (ICC) organized by ABI. Meetings with journalists during the conducting the project and during the OID and ICC were organized. Short communications and popular papers in English and Bulgarian were published and a bilingual webpage of the project was created. Target groups for whom the results of the project could be relevant are national and international plant research organizations, seed companies, farmers, PhD and Postgraduate students, biotech specialists.

Keywords:

• plant biotechnology
• evaluation
• SWOT analysis
• Strategic Framework Programme
• PlantBioServ project
• AgroBioInstitute