The poultry industry is the second largest industry in the country after oil. Therefore, vaccine production is of strategic importance in this area. Until today, no vaccine seeds were produced in the country and we were importers of vaccine seeds. However, unveiling these two important achievements will add Iran to the list of countries producing the vaccine seed.

During the ceremony, the vice president for science and technology affairs appreciated the activities of the ministry of agriculture in the field, stating: over the past few years, there has been joint cooperation between the Vice-Presidency and ministry of agriculture. Great things are happening in this area with the entrance of knowledge-based companies.

Sattari continued: good and appropriate infrastructure in the field of human and animal vaccines has been created by the private sector, in a way that technological needs of the country are responded in the shortest time possible by relying on the infrastructure.

The president of the national elites foundation expressed: this is also observed in the field of livestock, poultry and aquatic animals, and knowledge-based companies are active in the field with the investment of the private sector. They have created unprecedented extraordinary infrastructure. This is a brilliant event that brings technological innovations.

The president of the biotechnology development headquarters also marked: by the end of the government, 15 vaccines in the field of livestock, poultry and aquaculture will be mass-produced. In addition, four-five vaccines will be unveiled in this field soon.

Pointing out that knowledge-based companies and their activities will solve any problem in the shortest time possible if there are the suitable scientific infrastructures, Sattari added: the unveiling of these two achievements is also an important event and we are producing native vaccine seeds for the first time.

Two Improvement Achievements in the Field of Food Security

In addition, Kazem Khavazi, the minister of agriculture, appreciated the efforts made by the vice president for science and technology in supporting the field of agriculture, asserting: we are witnessing an important development in the agricultural sector, especially in the field of food security. Inputs are an influential topic in the discussion of food security.

He also marked: in 2017, we faced a huge epidemic and lost 26 million birds, which was a disaster for the poultry industry. Today, we have reached a situation when the slaughter did not reach 30,000 pieces in our country while neighboring countries are grappling with the problem of highly acute avian influenza.

Vaccine Seed Development in Knowledge-based Companies

In addition, Mostafa Ghanei, the secretary of the biotechnology development headquarter, affirmed: in our country, we did not have the technology to produce seeds and we imported it. In this action, the first step was taken to acquire technical knowledge of seed production.

The public sector cannot go into production, and the production of seeds and vaccines must be done in knowledge-based companies. This basic knowledge must be formed along with other sciences.

At the end of the ceremony, a memorandum of understanding was signed between Mostafa Ghanei, the secretary of the biotechnology development headquarter, and Ali Asghar Makenali, the head of the Iran Veterinary Organization, which was related to the development of vaccine seed in knowledge-based companies.

A report by the public relations and information center of the Vice-Presidency for science and technology affairs