Non-scientist bags Gurdev S Khush award

MANILA, Philippines - The Federation of Crop Science Societies of the Philippines bestowed the Department of Agriculture Gurdev S. Khush Awards, the most prestigious award in the country for crop scientists, to a Filipino businessman for his “invaluable support and contribution to the growth of Philippine agriculture.”

“It is an honor for my colleagues at Allied Botanical Corp., for the Philippine Seed Industry Association and for me to accept the DA-Khush Award. Never in my wildest dream could I imagine that I would one day be standing here in front of distinguished scholars and scientists to accept this prestigious award,” ABC president and general manager Willy Co said during the awards night held recently in Legazpi City, Albay.

FCSSP honored the La Salle Business Management graduate “particularly in his untiring dedication in the development and distribution of superior, high-yielding and disease-resistant varieties of vegetables.”

The tribute was named after Dr. Gurdev Khush, a world-renowned geneticist who has developed more than 300 rice varieties during his stay at the International Rice Research Institute. These varieties almost tripled the world rice production from 257 million tons in 1966 to 640 million tons in 2008. The award honors individuals whose outstanding contributions to crop science and the industry in the Philippines have made a significant impact on agriculture, particularly in improving the welfare of the small Filipino farmers.

The award-giving body also noted Co’s work in founding ABC which resulted in “insurmountable benefits to many Filipino farmers, their families and communities to secure a brighter future for the Philippine vegetable industry.”

ABC is the only fully-Filipino-owned seeds and crop care company with its own research and breeding facility in the country. For nearly three decades, ABC has been providing superior vegetable, flower, herb, sorghum, and super sweet corn seeds as well as earth-friendly crop care products to Filipino farmers and professional growers.

Co dedicated his award to a certain Mang Tebing, the farmer who inspired him to enter the agriculture sector. He narrated that when he was a young man he would watch and try to help Mang Tebing tend his plants, then harvest only a little. Nevertheless, the Cebuano farmer never failed to smile and be generous in sharing his cobs.

“He inspired me into farming. Because of him I became a farmer myself, I consider myself a farmer up to this day and I am always happy to be in the company of farmers. Wherever he is now, I would like to dedicate this award to Mang Tebing,” he said.

Aside from a plaque of recognition, Co also received a cash award from the proceeds of a trust fund donated by Dr. Gurdev Khush and the DA. He said that it will be given to ABC’s corporate social responsibility projects.

Among ABC’s CSR projects are the following: Aral Saka, free-of-charge training seminars for farmers; Eco-Agri scholarship for Agriculture students; Gulayan sa Paaralan which encourages public school students and pupils in agricultural communities to increase vegetable consumption and to go back to farming; and support of environmental protection groups such as the Philippine Eagle Foundation and Tanggol Kalikasan.