Bhavani Pathak

Bhavani Pathak has worked at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) since 2000. For several years, she served as a "biotechnology advisor," working to promote genetically modified organisms (GMOs). She now works at USAID's Bureau for Economic Growth, Agriculture, and Trade (EGAT), in the Office of Program Analysis, Implementation, Communications and Outreach (EGAT/PAICO) on the Program Analysis and Mission Support Team (EGAT/PAICO/PAMS).

As of 2010:


 * "Bhavani Pathak is currently Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist at USAID’s EGAT [Economic Growth, Agriculture and Trade Bureau] bureau where she has been involved in spurring and supporting monitoring and evaluation activities in a wide array of economic growth sectors. Bhavani started at the Agency as an AAAS Diplomacy Fellow in 2000 and worked in the Office of Agriculture and the Office of Environment and Science Policy on agricultural biotechnology issues. Prior to this appointment, she was with AAAS for two years working on science education issues. Bhavani holds a Ph.D. from the University of Cincinnati in molecular biology, and obtained post-doctoral training at the Frederick Cancer Research and Development Center, Frederick, Maryland."

During a 2003 "Indo-US Agricultural Biotechnology Conference" in New Delhi, India:


 * "Presenting an overview of the US approach, the USAID's biotechnology adviser, Dr Bhavani Pathak said that that the American interest is embedded within the larger goals of agricultural productivity, food security and nutrition in the developing countries. Under the ABSP-I, the US has been rendering support for technology and policy development in different countries and core support to the CGIAR system particularly for the development of 'Golden Rice'. The ABSP-I has also supported collaborative research projects and individual research projects like that for rinderpest and heartwater vaccines for Africa. In India the ABSP has been assisting in the development of beta carotene 'Golden Mustard Seeds'.


 * "He said that the ABSP-II is a part of the collaborative agricultural biotechnology (CABIO) initiative. Other areas of CABIO activities are for supporting research innovations, public and private sector infrastructure, capacity building, scientific training, programme for biosafety systems and safeguarding intellectual property rights. He also made it clear that the US does not intend to pressurise any country in developing a particular biosafety and IPR system."

Related SourceWatch Articles

 * USAID Promotion of Agricultural Biotechnology
 * U.S. State Department Promotion of Agricultural Biotechnology
 * U.S. Department of State Biotechnology Outreach Funds

External Resources
U.S. and USAID Experience].
 * Andrew Gilboy, Cornelia Flora, Ron Raphael, and Bhavani Pathak, "AGRICULTURE LONG-TERM TRAINING: Assessment and Design Recommendations," Produced for the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) by the Aguirre Division of JBS International, Inc.
 * Bhavani Pathak, "[http://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/devel_e/a4t_e/symp_sept08_sess1_usaid_e.pps Monitoring Aid for Trade
 * "Indo-US Agricultural Biotechnology Conference–Nutritional Enhancement and Abiotic Stress Tolerance, Indo-US Science and Technology Forum, 15–17 May 2003, New Delhi, India.
 * Bhavani Pathak, "The process of biotechnology development and dissemination in developing countries: Experience of USAIDÂ’s agricultural biotechnology program", Presentation to the 6th International ICABR Conference Ravello, Italy, July 11-14, 2002.