Philippine GM corn production now a multi-billion-peso business

Genetically modified (GM) corn production in the Philippines has become a multi-billion-peso venture, with farm level economic benefit estimated at US$88 million (PHP4 billion) by 2008.

 

The government first approved the commercial production of biotech corn in 2003.

 

In 2008 alone, the net national impact of corn biotechnology on farm income was estimated at US$49 million (about PHP2.25 billion), reported the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA).

 

New York-based ISAAA is a non-profit organisation with global network of centres designed to contribute to the alleviation of hunger and poverty by sharing knowledge and crop biotechnology applications. Its Southeast Asian centre is based in Los Baños, Philippines.

 

Dr. Clive James, ISAAA founder and current board chairman, reported the significant strides of biotech crops at a recent seminar billed ''Global Overview of Biotech/GM Crops 2009: Current Status, Impact, and Future Prospects'' held at the Dusit Thani Manila Hotel in Makati City.

 

Dr James said that biotech corn has improved farmers' livelihood, income, and the environment. One example is the genetically engineered Bt corns used by farmers in the northern Philippines who reported significantly higher populations of beneficial insects such as flower bugs, beetles, and spiders than those planted to conventional hybrid corn.

 

Sara town in northern Iloilo is another success story of biotech corn in the Philippines.

 

Sara's once barren hilly grasslands are now lash and productive corn fields planted to GM corn.

 

When the villagers began planting the ''wonder crop'' in 2005 through the initiative of the Northern Iloilo Cooperative Corn Producers Association Inc. (NICPAI), only 800 hectares were covered.

 

In just three years, the area covered by biotech corn soared to 9,300 hectares, reported NICPAI farmer-leader Nelson Sonza.

 

NICPAI subsequently shot to international prominence when it won PLEDGE, the highest global award given by multinational Monsanto to outstanding projects in agriculture. NICPA's success story dubbed ''From Grassland to Corn Land'' won a cash prize of US$20,000.

 

The prospects of biotechnology in the Philippine agricultural scene look promising, with several 'home grown' biotech products likely to be commercialised in the next three years, including Bt eggplant, biotech papaya, and Golden Rice, reported ISAAA.