Philippines take lead in biotech crops
The Philippines is pushing ahead collaboration with ASEAN member states and the US to share its know-how on biotechnology in farming and developing genetically modified crops, a move that is aimed at helping farmers improve their productivity, the country’s Department of Foreign Affairs said on October 24.
The Philippines is considered a leader in biotechnology in Southeast Asia, being the first country in the region to have a regulatory system for biotech products in place and the first to grow a major biotech crop for food, feed and processing, called Bt corn, that was approved for commercial production in 2002.
The Philippine government said its policy is to promote the safe and responsible use of modern biotechnology as one of the means to achieve food security, enabling Filipino farmers to increase their incomes and adopt sustainable agricultural practices.
A study showed that Bt corn farmers are earning 38 per cent more than other corn farmers. The additional value of Bt corn to corn productivity is estimated between $100 million to $400 million.
Bt corn was developed by US multinational agricultural biotechnology corporation Monsanto and has caused great controversy in and outside the Philippines. In 2008, the Philippines also has approved the entry of genetically modified soybeans developed by Monsanto.
The country’s optimistic stance on genetically modified food is drawing harsh criticism from Greenpeace.
“Unabated approvals of genetically-modified crops threaten – not enhance – food security,” Greenpeace warned in a release. The environment group is calling on the Philippine Department of Agriculture to safeguard the country’s food security by banning genetically-modified organisms which “promote agricultural monopoly by giant agro-chemical corporations – aside from causing harm to human health and the environment,” the group said.
The Philippine government responded that farmers were intelligent enough and would adopt a technology with economics as a driver. Furthermore, genetically modified crops like Bt corn would require less insecticide. However, it said there was a need to address public misperception about biotechnology “by coming out with the best messages on its safety and benefits.”
The Philippines is pushing ahead collaboration with ASEAN member states and the US to share its know-how on biotechnology in farming and developing genetically modified crops, a move that is aimed at helping farmers improve their productivity, the country's Department of Foreign Affairs said on October 24. The Philippines is considered a leader in biotechnology in Southeast Asia, being the first country in the region to have a regulatory system for biotech products in place and the first to grow a major biotech crop for food, feed and processing, called Bt corn, that was approved for commercial production in 2002....
The Philippines is pushing ahead collaboration with ASEAN member states and the US to share its know-how on biotechnology in farming and developing genetically modified crops, a move that is aimed at helping farmers improve their productivity, the country’s Department of Foreign Affairs said on October 24.
The Philippines is considered a leader in biotechnology in Southeast Asia, being the first country in the region to have a regulatory system for biotech products in place and the first to grow a major biotech crop for food, feed and processing, called Bt corn, that was approved for commercial production in 2002.
The Philippine government said its policy is to promote the safe and responsible use of modern biotechnology as one of the means to achieve food security, enabling Filipino farmers to increase their incomes and adopt sustainable agricultural practices.
A study showed that Bt corn farmers are earning 38 per cent more than other corn farmers. The additional value of Bt corn to corn productivity is estimated between $100 million to $400 million.
Bt corn was developed by US multinational agricultural biotechnology corporation Monsanto and has caused great controversy in and outside the Philippines. In 2008, the Philippines also has approved the entry of genetically modified soybeans developed by Monsanto.
The country’s optimistic stance on genetically modified food is drawing harsh criticism from Greenpeace.
“Unabated approvals of genetically-modified crops threaten – not enhance – food security,” Greenpeace warned in a release. The environment group is calling on the Philippine Department of Agriculture to safeguard the country’s food security by banning genetically-modified organisms which “promote agricultural monopoly by giant agro-chemical corporations – aside from causing harm to human health and the environment,” the group said.
The Philippine government responded that farmers were intelligent enough and would adopt a technology with economics as a driver. Furthermore, genetically modified crops like Bt corn would require less insecticide. However, it said there was a need to address public misperception about biotechnology “by coming out with the best messages on its safety and benefits.”
