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</font></font><a class="date"><em><font color="#666666" size="2" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif">Posted 05 November 2008</font></em></a><br><br><a class="country"><font color="#336600" size="2" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><strong>PHILIPPINES</strong></font></a><font size="2" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif"> <br>
1-RP LEADS IN DEV'T OF GM CROPS IN SOUTHEAST ASIA <br>2-MULTINATIONALS EYE MORE POTENT Bt CORN SEED <br>3-PANLILIO SAYS BIOTECH CAN REDUCE EXODUS OF JOB SEEKERS OVERSEAS <br>4-BIOTECH EXPERTS DEVELOP VIRUS-RESISTANT ABACA <br>
<br></font><a class="country"><font color="#336600" size="2" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><strong>VIETNAM</strong></font></a><font size="2" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif"> <br>5-VIETNAM TO HOST INTERNATIONAL RICE CONGRESS <br>
<br></font><a class="country"><font color="#336600" size="2" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><strong>GLOBAL</strong></font></a><font size="2" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif"> <br>6-SURVEYS SHOW CONTINUED STRONG SUPPORT FOR AGRICULTURAL BIOTECHNOLOGY <br>
7-SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS ENDORSE RICE ACTION PLAN <br><br></font></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr>
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<div align="left"><br><font size="2"><font face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><strong>1-RP LEADS IN DEV'T OF GM CROPS IN SOUTHEAST ASIA</strong><br>by Madel R. Sabater<br>05-November-2008 Manila Bulletin<br><br>The Philippines continues to take the lead in the development and approval of genetically-modified (GM) or bio-engineered crops in Southeast Asia. <br>
<br>Philippine Council for Advanced Science and Technology Research and Development (PCASTRD) Executive Director Dr. Reynaldo Ebora said that the Philippines is the "most advanced" in crop biotechnology in the region as it has the highest number of GM crops being developed in comparison to its neighbors.<br>
<br>Ebora presented the "Updates on Safety Regulation of GM Crops in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)" during the two-day preconference on Food and Nutrition Safety at the Shangri-La Mactan Resort and Spa in Cebu.<br>
<br>Ebora said that as of last year, the Philippines has been developing seven GM crops, with four already approved for planting or cultivation.<br><br>The four genetically-modified crop varieties approved for planting and listed at the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) are Bt corn, round-up ready corn, Bt 11 corn, and the stacked traits.<br>
<br>Filipino scientists are collaborating with the private sector in the development of Bt eggplant, as well as papaya ring spot virus (PRSV)-resistant papaya with delayed ripening trait.<br><br>The PCASTRD chief disclosed that the Philippines' success in developing GM crops is due to its defined regulatory system and the strong support from the scientific community, particularly the National Academy of Science and Technology (NAST), one of the two national advisory bodies on Science and Technology (S & T) under the Department of Science and Technology (DoST).<br>
<br>The Philippines' lead in developing GM crops is followed by Singapore with three crops, and Thailand with two, particularly soybean and corn.<br><br>Ebora meanwhile said the use of biotechnology in Laos is "still at its inception phase" while Brunei and Malaysia have yet to approve GM crop varieties for commercial propagation.<br>
<br>He said other biotech-related developments in the ASEAN include Cambodia's completion of its National Biosafety Framework and Malaysia's passage of its Biosafety Act of 2007. <br><br>Thailand is also expected to pass the draft of its Biosafety Act by 2009.<br>
<br>Ebora noted however that although no GM crop have been commercialized in Malaysia and Thailand, both are already advanced in terms of biotechnology, pouring in a lot of investment in agri-biotechnology.<br><br>"ASEAN countries are in different stages of biosafety regulatory development. The situation presents a unique opportunity to learn from each other's experiences," Ebora said.<br>
<br>"Prospects exist for collaborative biosafety projects of mutual interest," he added.<br><br><strong>------------------------------------------------------------</strong><br><strong>2-MULTINATIONALS EYE MORE POTENT Bt CORN SEED</strong><br>
by Melody M. Aguiba <br>05-November-2008 Manila Bulletin<br><br>Multinational seed firms Dow AgroSciences and Monsanto are looking into the local commercialization of multiple benefit and 'second generation' genetically modified (GM) corn. <br>
<br>Having successfully marketed since 2003 the Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) corn that had a sole trait of being Asiatic corn borer-resistant, US-based biotechnology companies now eye markets for the GM corn that is more potent and resists broad types of pests. <br>
<br>Dow AgroSciences started in 2005 in its field testing of the "TC 1507," branded Herculex in the US. <br><br>"We already completed two seasons of field testing. Hopefully it will be approved for release next year," said Antipas R. Criador IV, regulatory and field research and development head of Dow AgroSciences, in an interview. <br>
<br>Monsanto also started this year testing a multiple-gene GM corn that it considers to belong to a second generation of GM corn. The first generation corn only has one gene. <br><br>"The second generation Bt corn Monsanto is developing has three genes," said an industry official. <br>
<br>If a corn plant has only one gene against borer resistance, the pest may develop resistance to this GM corn plant over a shorter period of time. But with the GM plant that has three genes, pests may find it more difficult to develop resistance to this GM plant.<br>
<br>Monsanto is completing this November its first season field trial on what is called the Mon89. Its trials are in Pangasinan, Isabela, Bukidnon, Sultan Kudarat, and South Cotabato. <br><br>Dow AgroScience conducted its field trials in seven sites. These are Angadanan, Isabela; Marbel, Koronadal, South Cotabato; General Santos; Sumilao, Bukidnon; Tacurong, South Cotabato; Tupi, South Cotabato; and Banga, South Cotabato. <br>
<br>TC 1507, aside from being corn borer-resistant, also prevents corn infestation from lepidopterans such as catworm and earworm. However, the company does not yet claim resistance to other pests prior to further evaluation of its market strategy in the Philippines. The company also has yet to resolve with the Bureau of Plant Industry in certain data interpretation. <br>
<br>It claims to have achieved a good yield advantage for its variety. <br><br>"Based on field trial, we have a 99.7 percent advantage over non-Bt corn," said Criador. <br><br>Biotechnology companies see opportunities in starting out—before setting its foot in other Asian countries-- in the Philippines. The country is internationally-recognized for having a more established regulatory policy on biotechnology. <br>
<br>Out of 1,000 plants with the borer resistance, only three plants were found to have damage while the non-GM corn plant had 997 damages, claims Dow AgroScience.<br><br><strong>------------------------------------------------------------</strong><br>
<strong>3-PANLILIO SAYS BIOTECH CAN REDUCE EXODUS OF JOB SEEKERS OVERSEAS </strong><br>by Ira Karen Apanay <br>05-November-2008 Manila Times<br><br>BIOTECHNOLOGY can help the country generate more jobs and would reduce the exodus of Filipinos seeking jobs overseas, Gov. Ed Panlilio of Pampanga said Tuesday. <br>
<br>"We could develop biotechnology, like malunggay. The Philippines is very rich in terms of resources, if we could only improve our natural and human resources, the Filipino will stay and not migrate," he said. <br><br>
Panlilio also said that Pampanga is open to biotechnology and the province is supporting its use in agriculture, as long as it is safe and benefits the populace. <br><br>"I am not an agriculturist, but is the use of GMO [genetically modified organism] harmful or beneficial?" he said. <br>
<br>"When it is beneficial, like this moringa, which is a good and affordable source of nutrients and already has a market for its products, we promote this kind of practice for our people." <br><br>Panlilio said that biotechnology is a "means of expression and improvement" to uplift the economy and resolve problems in migration and political squabbling. <br>
<br>Panlilio also credited the Department of Agriculture-Biotechnology Program Office (BPO) and Director Alicia Ilaga for promoting the use of biotechnology to develop more products from the lowly malunggay. <br><br>Malunggay seeds are good sources of biofuel while its fruits and leaves possess substantial amounts of vitamin A, iron, calcium, potassium and other micronutrients. <br>
<br>The roots of malunggay are a good source of anti-cancer agents while its trunk may be harnessed for the production of ethanol from cellulose. <br><br>Provincial agriculturist Dr. Mario Mangiliman reiterated the governor's statement that Pam–panga is open to the use of biotechnology and the province's Farm and Resource Management Department is now focusing on malunggay cultivation. <br>
<br>Mangiliman emphasized that they are pushing for malunggay planting to fight malnutrition. He added the provincial government has allotted P74 million to purchase a shredder for the farmers to be able to manufacture their own bioorganic fertilizers. <br>
<br>"We cannot treat agriculture with no importance because without agriculture, industrialization cannot be a possibility. We should maintain it. We at the provincial government support the initiatives of the agriculture department," Panlilio said. <br>
<br><strong>------------------------------------------------------------</strong><br><strong>4-BIOTECH EXPERTS DEVELOP VIRUS-RESISTANT ABACA</strong><br>by Jennifer A. Ng (Reporter) <br>29-October-2008 BusinessMirror<br><br>
THE Department of Agriculture's (DA) Biotechnology Program Office (BPO) is seeking to prop up abaca production by developing better strains of the plant that are resistant to the deadly mosaic, bract mosaic and the bunchy-top viruses that crippled the country's biggest abaca producer in 1999.<br>
<br>Dr. Alicia Ilaga, director of the BPO, said the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) College of Agriculture, the UPLB Crop Science Cluster-Institute of Plant Breeding (CSC-IPB), Fiber Industry Development Authority and the DA are now collaborating on developing varieties that are resistant to the three viruses through radiation-induced mutation.<br>
<br>Dr. Teodora Dizon of the CSC-IPB in UPLB and her team worked on two commercial varieties of abaca at the outset. These are the Tinawagang Pula and Tangongon from Sorsogon.<br><br>Dizon's team tried to determine the lethal dose for the abaca varieties and irradiate shoot cultures in order to find out the correct dosage to make these varieties resistant to the viruses.<br>
<br>Suckers were collected from the two varieties and were analyzed for the presence of viruses, with infected plants eventually being treated. <br><br>Tissue cultures of the Tinawagang Pula variety from Albay were also obtained.<br>
<br>Both cultivars were successfully micropropagated through in-vitro culture and system regeneration, and the rest were subjected to the process of trial and error in determining the right lethal dose to attain the plants' immunity.<br>
<br>Dr. Antonio Lalusin Jr. of the CSC-IPB in UPLB, also a member of the first abaca project, worked on the development of molecular markers in abaca to eliminate only one abaca virus, the bunchy-top.<br><br>The bunchy-top virus is the most deleterious among the three viruses. It does not only destroy the fiber quality of abaca plants. Once the virus hits, plant growth ceases. Therefore, the retrieval of fibers from the infected plants would be impossible.<br>
<br>Lalusin's team utilized the bunchy-top resistant genes of Pakol, a variety of banana, by cross breeding them with abaca plants and later on breeding them back to the pure-bred abaca plants.<br><br>Tests for resistance to bunchy-top were later conducted by infecting the plants with the virus.<br>
<br>The project aims to come up with bunchy-top-resistant abaca plants that yield more fiber of good quality.<br><br>Ilaga noted that while Bicol accounts for 66 pecent, or 52,666 hectares, of the total abaca area mapped by the department, it also reported a 27-percent incidence of viral diseases, particularly bunchy-top.<br>
<br>The BPO noted that for the past three centuries, abaca production declined by 0.15 percent, 0.84 percent and 0.12 percent, prompting the need to reinvigorate the industry to respond to increased demand in the global market.<br>
<br><strong>------------------------------------------------------------</strong><br></font></font><font size="2"><font face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><strong>VIETNAM<br>5-VIETNAM TO HOST INTERNATIONAL RICE CONGRESS<br>
</strong>24-October-2008 IRRI Press Release<br><br>The 3rd International Rice Congress (IRC2010) will be held in Hanoi, Vietnam, in 2010, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the International Rice Research Institute.<br>
<br>Hanoi - Vietnam will host the 3rd International Rice Congress (IRC2010) in Hanoi in 2010. The world's largest gathering of rice scientists, researchers, and technologies, the event will also mark the 50th anniversary of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI).<br>
<br>The decision was announced in a joint statement by H.E. Minister Cao Due Phat of Vietnam's Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD)and IRRI Director General Dr. Robert S. Zeigler in Hanoi today. The IRC2010 is the world's largest rice gathering focusing on a food that feeds almost half the world. <br>
<br>Dr. Zeigler said he was very pleased that the IRC2010 would be held in Hanoi, especially because of Vietnam's success with rice production over the past two decades. "Vietnam's rice industry is outstanding and MARD's commitment to research and the best science is an example for others to follow," he said.<br>
<br>Dr. Zeigler explained that IRC 2010 will incorporate the 28th International Rice Research Conference, 3rd World Rice Commerce Conference, 3rd International Rice Technology and Cultural Expo, and the 50th anniversary celebration of IRRI.<br>
<br>He claimed that with its theme, "The Future of Rice," the international congress will increase public and private support to help poor rice farmers and consumers. <br><br>IRRI and AsiaCongress Events Company Limited (AsiaCongress) are the organizers of the international event.<br>
<br>Thousands of delegates attended the first and second international rice congresses in Beijing in 2002 and Delhi in 2006.<br><br># # #<br><br>The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) is the world's leading rice research and training center. Based in the Philippines, with offices in 13 other countries, IRRI is an autonomous, nonprofit institution focused on improving the well-being of present and future generations of rice farmers and consumers, particularly those with low<br>
incomes, while preserving natural resources. IRRI is one of 15 centers funded through the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), an association of public and private donor agencies (</font></font><a target="_blank" href="http://www.cgiar.org/"><font color="#0000ff" size="2" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif">www.cgiar.org</font></a><font size="2" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif">).<br>
<br># # #<br><br>For information, contact Adam Barclay, IRRI, DAPO Box 7777, Metro Manila, Philippines; <br>tel +63-2-580-5600; fax: +63-2-580-5699; email </font><a target="_blank" href="mailto:a.barclay@cgiar.org"><font color="#0000ff" size="2" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif">a.barclay@cgiar.org</font></a><font size="2" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif">.<br>
<br>Web sites: IRRI Home (</font><a target="_blank" href="http://www.irri.org/"><font color="#0000ff" size="2" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif">www.irri.org</font></a><font size="2" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif">), IRRI Library (</font><a target="_blank" href="http://ricelib.irri.cgiar.org/"><font color="#0000ff" size="2" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif">http://ricelib.irri.cgiar.org</font></a><font size="2" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif">), Rice Knowledge Bank (</font><a target="_blank" href="http://www.knowledgebank.irri.org/"><font color="#0000ff" size="2" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif">www.knowledgebank.irri.org</font></a><font size="2" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif">)<br>
<br><strong>------------------------------------------------------------</strong><br></font><font size="2"><font face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><strong>GLOBAL<br>6-SURVEYS SHOW CONTINUED STRONG SUPPORT FOR AGRICULTURAL BIOTECHNOLOGY<br>
</strong>03-November-2008 </font></font><a target="_blank" href="http://westernfarmpress.com/news/agricultural-biotechnology-1103/"><font color="#0000ff" size="2" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif">The Western Farm Press</font></a><br>
<br><font size="2" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif">An International Food Information Council (IFIC) report released on Oct. 23 concludes that 84 percent of Americans have favorable or neutral impressions of agricultural plant biotechnology, while less than 16 percent hold an unfavorable impression.<br>
<br>According to the 2008 Food Biotechnology: A Study of US Consumer Trends Survey commissioned by IFIC, the majority of Americans would be likely to purchase foods from plants produced through biotechnology for specific benefits, including 78 percent who responded that they would be more likely to purchase foods produced through biotechnology that required fewer pesticides as well as products that provide more healthful fats like Omega-3.<br>
<br>The IFIC survey follows several recent studies published that demonstrate growing support for agricultural biotechnology worldwide.<br><br>On Oct. 14, The European Union released a report entitled: Do European Consumers Buy GM Foods? The EU funded study found that consumers are buying foods containing biotech ingredients, despite a perceived opposition to biotechnology in the EU.<br>
<br>The study traces consumers' actual shopping behaviors with respect to agricultural biotechnology products in ten EU countries following the EU introduction of a mandatory labeling program for biotechnology foods in 2003.<br>
<br>The results unveil significant discrepancies when comparing people's everyday choices at supermarkets to the attitudes they expressed towards biotechnology foods in questionnaires.<br><br>Nearly half of the people who bought agricultural biotechnology-labeled foods said they would not buy such products, while 30 percent of consumers buying them did not know whether they had bought them.<br>
<br>In September, EuropaBio, the European biotech industry association, released data demonstrating that more European Union farmers are choosing to use biotechnology crops to boost their productivity despite a 10-year moratorium on new product approvals.<br>
<br>An Asian Food Information Centre (AFIC) survey published in early October reported that in light of the region's growing demand for high volumes of quality food, consumers in China, India, Japan, Philippines and South Korea are ready to accept foods produced using agricultural biotechnology.<br>
<br>The report, entitled Food Biotechnology: Consumer perceptions of food biotechnology in Asia, found that in the midst of heightened media attention on food concerns, Asian consumers have high confidence in the role agricultural biotechnology can play in increasing future food supplies and are open-minded to the various benefits of food biotechnology.<br>
<br>In addition, the study found that Asian consumers are especially inclined to accept plant biotechnology if the technology contributes to a more sustainable way of producing foods.<br><br>Similar to the European Union consumer study, the AFIC report concluded that the presence of labeling of biotechnology-derived ingredients is not of significant importance to consumers in their choice of foods.<br>
<br><strong>------------------------------------------------------------</strong><br><strong>7-SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS ENDORSE RICE ACTION PLAN</strong><br>24-October-2008 IRRI Press Release<br><br>Hanoi, Vietnam - The world's biggest rice-exporting and -importing nations have collectively endorsed a new Rice Action Plan targeting many of the problems that triggered this year's rice price crisis.<br>
<br>At a meeting of the ten-nation Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in the Vietnamese capital Hanoi this week, ministers of agriculture unanimously endorsed a seven-point action plan presented by the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI). ASEAN includes two of the world's largest rice exporters, Thailand and Vietnam, and several importing nations as well.<br>
<br>The endorsement came at the 30th annual meeting of the ASEAN Ministers of Agriculture and Forestry (AMAF). It was presented as part of a comprehensive food security strategy being developed for the region, home to more than 500 million rice consumers, including some of Asia's poorest.<br>
<br>"The message is very clear," IRRI's director general, Robert S. Zeigler, said. "We have the scientific expertise, knowledge, and partnerships to grow the rice Asia needs and now-with this endorsement by these nations-we have strong political support. The only thing missing are the financial resources needed to implement this."<br>
<br>Dr. Zeigler told the ministers that IRRI needs an additional US$15 million a year for the next ten years to adequately support the ASEAN Rice Action Plan. "At a time of trillion-dollar bailouts for the global financial sector, $15 million a year is barely the annual bonus of a former Wall Street executive," Dr. Zeigler said.<br>
<br>The Rice Action Plan was developed by IRRI earlier this year during the rice price crisis in consultation with its partners around the region. It includes the following measures: <br><br>1. Bring about an agronomic revolution to reduce existing yield gaps.<br>
<br>Depending on production conditions, an unexploited yield gap of 1-2 t/ha currently exists in most farmers' fields in the rice-growing areas of Asia. This yield gap can be reduced through the integrated use of stress-resistant varieties and better crop management practices. This requires funding support to programs aimed at improving farmers' skills<br>
in practices such as land preparation, water and nutrient management, and the control of various pests, diseases, and weeds.<br><br>2. Accelerate the delivery of new postharvest technologies to reduce losses.<br><br>Postharvest includes the storing, drying, and processing of rice. Considerable losses occur in terms of both the quantity and quality of rice during postharvest operations because of the use of old and inefficient practices. The active promotion of exciting new technologies that are currently available for on-farm storage and drying will reduce losses considerably.<br>
<br>3. Accelerate the introduction and adoption of higher-yielding rice varieties.<br><br>New rice varieties are available today that can increase production, but farmers are not using them because the systems that introduce new varieties are under-resourced. Enhancing germplasm exchange, variety testing, and release pipelines can make current high-yielding stress-resistant varieties and hybrids more widely available to farmers in irrigated and rainfed lowland areas of Asia. <br>
<br>4. Strengthen and upgrade breeding pipelines for developing new<br>varieties and hybrids.<br><br>Funding for the development of new rice varieties has declined steadily over the past decade or more. This must be reversed in order to develop the next generations of new rice varieties that will be required for productivity growth in sustainable agriculture. Several opportunities are available to accelerate the development of new rice varieties and hybrids with higher yield, better grain quality, and increased tolerance of abiotic stresses and with multiple resistances to insects and diseases through new molecular breeding approaches.<br>
<br>5. Accelerate research on the world's thousands of rice varieties so<br>scientists can use the vast reservoir of untapped genetic resources they contain.<br><br>Working with IRRI, the world's nations have spent decades carefully collecting thousands of rice varieties. More than 100,000 rice types are now being carefully managed and used at IRRI and in Asian nations. However, only a small fraction of these vital genetic resources has been characterized in detail or used widely. New molecular methods have now opened the door for revealing the valuable genetic characteristics in each variety.<br>
<br>6. Develop a new generation of rice scientists and researchers for the<br>public and private sectors.<br><br>Part of the current rice crisis reflects the lack of investment in science, including human capital investment. The education and training of young scientists and researchers are also vital concerns for the riceindustry. Asia urgently needs to train a new generation of rice scientists and researchers to enable the region to exploit the latest developments in modern science more effectively.<br>
<br>7. Provide rice policy support.<br><br>Conducive policy environments are needed to achieve the fuller use of technology for rapid production growth in an efficient, equitable, and sustainable manner. Rice production is being affected by several dynamic economic factors and their potential impact can be manipulated through suitable policy reforms. The identification of policy constraints, the generation of alternative policy options, and policy advocacy are therefore essential. <br>
<br>For more information on the Rice Action Plan, including detailed<br>budgets, please visit </font><a target="_blank" href="http://solutions.irri.org/"><font color="#0000ff" size="2" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif">http://solutions.irri.org/</font></a><font size="2" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif">.<br>
<br><br><br># # #<br><br>The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) is the world's leading rice research and training center. Based in the Philippines, with offices in 13 other countries, IRRI is an autonomous, nonprofit institution focused on improving the well-being of present and future generations of rice farmers and consumers, particularly those with low incomes, while preserving natural resources. IRRI is one of 15 centers funded through the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), an association of public and private donor agencies (</font><a target="_blank" href="http://www.cgiar.org/"><font color="#0000ff" size="2" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif">www.cgiar.org</font></a><font size="2" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif">).<br>
<br># # #<br><br>For information, contact Adam Barclay, IRRI, DAPO Box 7777, Metro Manila, Philippines; <br>tel +63-2-580-5600; fax: +63-2-580-5699; email </font><a target="_blank" href="mailto:a.barclay@cgiar.org"><font color="#0000ff" size="2" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif">a.barclay@cgiar.org</font></a><font size="2" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif">.<br>
<br>Web sites: IRRI Home (</font><a target="_blank" href="http://www.irri.org/"><font color="#0000ff" size="2" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif">www.irri.org</font></a><font size="2" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif">), IRRI Library (</font><a target="_blank" href="http://ricelib.irri.cgiar.org/"><font color="#0000ff" size="2" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif">http://ricelib.irri.cgiar.org</font></a><font size="2" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif">), Rice Knowledge Bank (</font><a target="_blank" href="http://www.knowledgebank.irri.org/"><font color="#0000ff" size="2" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif">www.knowledgebank.irri.org</font></a><font size="2" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif">)<br>
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<td bgcolor="#fcfdce" valign="top" width="184"><br><a class="events" target="_blank" href="http://www.searca.org/web/news/2008/oct/web/24.html"><font color="#336600" size="1" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><strong>Three-in-one: Trees, veggies, and animals together?</strong></font></a><font size="1" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif"> <br>
<br></font><a class="events" target="_blank" href="http://www.searca.org/web/news/2008/oct/web/22.html"><font color="#336600" size="1" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><strong>Filipinos getting poorer and hungrier</strong></font></a><font size="1" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif"> <br>
<br></font><a class="events" target="_blank" href="http://www.searca.org/web/news/2008/oct/web/10.html"><font color="#336600" size="1" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><strong>Let's look for solutions…</strong></font></a><font size="1" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif"> <br>
<br></font><a class="events" target="_blank" href="http://www.searca.org/web/news/2008/oct/web/06.html"><font color="#336600" size="1" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><strong>Ecotourism: enjoying nature at its best</strong></font></a><font size="1" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif"> <br>
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</font><a class="events" target="_blank" href="http://www.searca.org/web/adss/2008/index.html"><font color="#336600" size="1" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><strong>Download available paper and/or presentation handouts of some notable speakers presented at SEARCA Agriculture and Development Series. CLICK HERE.</strong></font></a><font size="1"><font face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif"> <br>
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<td bgcolor="#eeffa8" valign="top" width="183"><br><a class="events" target="_blank" href="http://www.isbgmo.info/"><font color="#336600" size="1" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><strong>International Symposium on the Biosafety of Genetically Modified Organisms</strong></font></a><br>
<a class="events_details"><font color="#666666" size="1" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><strong>Te Papa, Wellington, New Zealand<br>16 - 21 November 2008</strong></font></a><br><br><a class="events" target="_blank" href=""><font color="#ff6600" size="1" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><strong>Philippines National Biotechnology Week</strong></font></a><br>
<a class="events_details"><font color="#666666" size="1" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><strong>Manila, Philippines<br>24 - 28 November 2008</strong></font></a><br><br><a class="events" target="_blank" href="http://www.ishs-papaya2008.com/"><font color="#336600" size="1" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><strong>2nd International Forum on Papaya</strong></font></a><br>
<a class="events_details"><strong><font color="#666666" size="1" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif">Fortune Pandiyan Hotel, Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India<br>09 - 12 December 2008</font></strong></a><br></td></tr></tbody></table>
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