Havana, December 5 (RHC-ACN) -- Marc Van Montagu, a pioneer in the field of molecular biotechnology, has praised the Cuban scientific community's achievements in the field of biotechnology.

The Belgian expert was one of the guest speakers at the Biotechnology International Congress Havana 2014, which wrapped up this Thursday in the Occidental Miramar Hotel.

Speaking to local reporters, the World Food Award-winning scientist said his first contact with Cuba occurred in the 1980s and since then he has kept in touch with specialists from the island.

He highlighted the partnerships between the Caribbean nation and Brazil, China, Vietnam and other countries that allowed them to further develop research on the use of transgenic plants.

Montagu noted the participation of Latin American scientists in the event in Havana and said it is a great opportunity to share experiences on the challenges posed by the world's food situation, which in his opinion, genetically modified plants can help resolve.