RP maintains standing in world biotech league

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines has maintained its standing in the league of “biotechnology mega-countries.”

“Mega-countries” are those planting biotechnology or genetically modified (GM) crops (soybean, corn, cotton, canola, papaya, and others) in 50,000 hectares or more, qualified the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Application (ISAAA).

ISAAA is a New York (USA)-based not-for-profit organization with an international network of centers designed to contribute to the alleviation of hunger and poverty by sharing knowledge and crop biotechnology applications.

In 2008, Filipino farmers planted biotech or Bt maize in 350,000 hectares, from only 10,769 ha when the crop was approved for commercialization in 2003, reported Dr. Randy Hautea, ISAAA global coordinator and head of the Los Baños-based ISAAA Southeast Asia Center.

Dr. Hautea, a former University of the Philippines Los Baños-Institute of Plant Breeding (UPLB-IPB) director, reported on the “Global Status of Biotech Crops 1996-2008” at a press forum held recently at the Richmonde Hotel in Pasig City.

Other conference speakers were former UP president Dr. Emil Q. Javier, now president of the National Academy of Science and Technology (NAST); Dr. Rhodora R. Aldomita, ISAAA senior program officer; and Lydia Lapstora, a farmer from Benito Soliven, Isabela, who rose from an elementary school graduate land tiller to one of the most successful and multi-awarded biotech corn growers in the country today.

Dr. Hautea, citing the global report launched at the forum and authored by ISAAA founder and board chairman Dr. Clive James, said the Philippines now ranks 11th among the “mega-countries” that planted GM crops last year in an aggregate of 125 million ha in 25 countries.

The United States has maintained its top position, planting eight GM crops (soybean, maize, cotton, canola, squash, papaya, alfalfa, and sugar beet) in 62.5 million ha in 2008.

Argentina followed with 21 million ha planted to soybean, maize, and cotton. Third was Brazil, with 15.8 million ha devoted to the same three crops.

The other “mega-countries” were India, Canada, both 7.6 million ha; China, 3.8 million ha; Paraguay, 2.7 million ha; South Africa, 1.8 million ha; Uruguay, 700,000 ha; Bolivia, 600,000; Australia, 200,000 ha; Mexico and Spain, both 100,000 ha each.

Other countries that planted biotech crops in lesser areas were Chile, Colombia, Honduras, Burkina Paso, Czech Republic, Romania, Portugal, Germany, Poland, Slovakia, and Egypt.

About 200,000 Filipino farmers planted Bt corn in 2008.

Usually, farmers planting GM maize corn earn an average additional income of P7,482/ha during the dry season and P7,080/ha during the wet season.

“Overall, four independent studies confirmed the positive impact of Bt maize on small resource-poor farmers and maize producers generally in the Philippines,” the ISAAA report stated.

As attested by Lapastora, she harvested an average of 6.4 tons per hectare, which is much higher than the national average yield of 3.57 t/ha for yellow corn and 1.72 t/ha for white corn.

Globally, 13.3 million farmers in the 25 countries planted GM crops in 125 million hectares, which James described as “the sixth largest growth spurt in 13 years of reporting.”

“Future growth prospects are encouraging,” he said. Additionally, political leaders globally are increasingly viewing biotech-enhanced crops as a key part of the solution to critical social issues of food security and sustainability.”

For example, G-8 leaders recognized for the first time in 2008 the significance of biotech crops and called to “accelerate research and development and increase access to new agricultural technologies to boost agriculture production.”

The European Union (EU) also has acknowledged that biotech crops “can play an important role in mitigating the effects of the food crises.”

In China, Premier Wen Jiabao has said that “to solve the food problems, we have to rely on big science and technology measures, rely on biotechnology, rely on GM.” China has committed an additional $3.5 billion over 12 years for continued R&D.

Dr. Javier also pointed out that R&D continues to debunk the grim picture portrayed by anti-biotechnology groups (“Frankenfood”) in the past decade.

After 13 years and all these millions of farm hands who have handled these novel crops and billions of tons of products consumed directly as human food or as animal food, he said, “not a single claim of food toxicity and allergenicity and environment degradation had been verified.”

Dr. Javier concluded: “On the contrary, with the mounting evidence of higher productivity, less product costs, and for the pesticide- and herbicide-tolerant GMOs, the added health benefit of reduced use of chemicals, 13.3 million satisfied farmers in 25 countries are now benefiting from the use of transgenic crops.”