Gabrielle Persley has worked both as a researcher and as a senior strategic science leader, with some of the world's leading agricultural and development agencies, including several years as the Word Bank's Biotechnology advisor. Currently she is the Research Director of the Crawford Fund Australia, based at the Global Change Institute, University of Queensland. Professor Persley is also the Founder and Chair of the Doyle Foundation, Scotland, which advocates the role of science and technology in development, especially in Africa. She is a senior advisor to the International Livestock Research Institute and the Biosciences eastern and central Africa (BecA) in Kenya. Professor Persley has a PhD in Microbiology from the University of Queensland, based on her research on bacterial diseases of cassava in Africa. The University of Queensland awarded Professor Persley the Vice Chancellor's Award for Excellence in 2014 for her work in international science and technology in relation to food security.

Select Guide Rating

• Section One: Background papers 1: Biotechnology for bankers 2: Classifying biotechnologies Section Two: Plant production and agricultural microbiology 3: Plant production: introduction 4: Agricultural microbiology: introduction 5: Plant breeding 6: Agricultural diagnostics 7: Insect and disease resistance 8: Biocontrol of insects and weeds 9: Beneficial micro-organisms 10: Microbial bioprocessing Section Three: Forestry 11: Forestry Section Four: Livestock and fisheries 12: Animal production 13: Animal health 14: Aquaculture Section Five: Commodity impact studies 15: Annual vegetable oil crops 16: Perennial vegetable oil crops 17: Banana and plantain 18: Cassava 19: Coffee and cocoa 20: Potato 21: Wheat Section Six: Policy Issues 22: Socio-economic impact 23: Sociological impact 24: Regulating release of organisms 25: Intellectual property management 26: Role of the private sector 27: Commercial prospects 28: Infrastructural requirements 29: Role of the international agricultural research centres 30: Issues for national agricultural research systems 31: Educational needs 32: Issues for the World Bank Section Seven: Epilogue 33: Issues for international development agencies