Many developing countries are currently in the process of designing regulatory systems that should allow them to use genetically modified organisms (GMOs) for agricultural development. They also have to manage food safety and environmental risks associated with these technologies. Researchers of the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) have developed a 'Framework for regional bio-safety regulations' involving regional experts, stakeholders, and policy-makers in the design of a regional regulatory system. It will help fill knowledge gaps and generate conclusions regarding the trade-offs involved in regional biotechnology regulation. Regina Birner and Nicolas Linacre of the IFPRI have presented a conceptual framework for the assessment of regional systems of biotechnology regulation in a discussion paper on regional biotechnology regulations: Design options and implications for good governance. It specifies design options and assessment criteria, and identifies major trade-offs and their mediating factors. More than 120 countries, party to the Catagena Protocol on Biosafety are participating in the