Biosecurity Science Strategy making a difference

The Biosecurity Science Strategy, launched at last year’s Biosecurity Summit, is already in everyday use in areas including prioritising MAF Biosecurity New Zealand (MAFBNZ) operational research and providing direction for contestable funding allocation in this year’s Foundation of Research, Science and Technology (FRST) funding round.

MAFBNZ Strategic Science Team Manager Naomi Parker told this year’s Biosecurity Summit that the strategy, developed in partnership with the Ministry of Research, Science and Technology (MoRST), built on expectations for science in the Biosecurity Strategy.

She said biosecurity science was the science that underpinned the biosecurity system and biosecurity decision making, and developed the knowledge and tools to undertake biosecurity-related activities. Biosecurity science was incredibly broad, and covered not just biological disciplines but also social sciences, matauranga Maori, physics and chemistry. It covered all environments (marine, freshwater, terrestrial) and all values (environmental, social, cultural and economic).

Next steps for the strategy were:

• Biosecurity Science System:
  • finalise terms of reference for advisory groups;
  • establish advisory groups;
  • start capturing biosecurity research needs and issues;
  • “run” the system – early 2009;
• determine baseline status of actions and performance measures;
• keep driving the messages of the strategy into business as usual.

Page last updated: 5 January 2009