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</font></font><a class="date"><em><font color="#666666" size="2" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif">Posted 20 February 2009</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-BIOTECHNOLOGY SAID KEY TO RAISING FARM YIELD <br>2-GOLDEN RICE ON TARGET FOR RELEASE IN 2011 <br>3-PLATFORM TO TRANSLATE BIOTECH BREAKTHROUGHS <br>4-RP MAINTAINS STANDING IN WORLD BIOTECH LEAGUE <br>5-FORTIFIED WITH VITAMIN A: RP MAY BE FIRST TO OKAY 'GOLDEN' RICE <br>
6-RP EXPANDS BT CROP AREA BY 100,000 HECTARES MORE <br>7-MORE FARMERS GO FOR Bt CORN <br>8-AREA PLANTED TO BIOTECH CORN UP 40% <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>
9-VIETNAM TO GROW GENETICALLY MODIFIED CROPS BY 2015: CONFERENCE <br><br></font><a class="country"><font color="#336600" size="2" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><strong>AFRICA</strong></font></a><font size="2" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif"> <br>
10-KENYA APPROVES GM AFTER YEARS OF DELAYS <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>
11-GENETICALLY MODIFIED CROPS GAIN GLOBAL FOOTHOLD <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-BIOTECH RICE MAY BE IN THE MARKET BY 2010</strong><br>by Lyn Resurreccion / Science Editor<br>16-February-2009 </font></font><a target="_blank" href="http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=6078:biotech-rice-may-be-in-the-market-by-2010&catid=53:agri-commodities"><font color="#0000ff" size="2" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif">BusinessMirror</font></a><br>
<br><font size="2" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif">BIOTECH rice—the insect resistant variety and Golden Rice—will lead the new genetically modified crops for commercial use in the second wave (2006 to 2015) of market availability, according to the International Service for the Acquisition of Agribiotech Applications (ISAAA).<br>
<br>Dr. Randy Hautea, ISAAA global coordinator and its SEAsiaCenter director, told reporters that Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt)-resistant rice from China "may be available within 24 months," or between now and 2010, and Golden Rice by 2012. <br>
<br>Hautea made the disclosure last week at the press conference on the global launching of the 2008 Global Status of Commercialized Biotech/GM (Genetically Modified) Crops report authored by Dr. Clive James, founder and chairman of ISAAA board of directors.<br>
<br>Bt rice is "extensively field tested in China and awaiting approval by the Chinese regulatory authorities" for commercialization, the report said.<br><br>Golden Rice—or genetically biofortified rice with beta carotene that produces vitamin A—is being field-tested at the International Rice Research Institute in Los Baños, Laguna. Its adoption for the Philippines is being done by the Philippine Rice Research Institute with two other traits incorporated in the rice—tungro virus and bacterial blight resistance.<br>
<br>The ISAAA report recognized biotech rice as "the most important of the new biotech crops that are now ready for adoption."<br><br>This development is of great significance because rice is the most important food crop in the world, especially for the poor, aside from answering the current food security problem, James said. <br>
<br>"[More than] 90 percent of rice is grown and consumed in Asia by some of the poorest people in the world—the 250-million Asian households whose resource-poor rice farmers cultivate on average a meager half a hectare of rice," the ISAAA report said.<br>
<br>Bt eggplant may be available as the first biotech-food crop in India within the next 12 months, the ISAAA report said. India is the fourth-largest producer of biotech crops with GM cotton planted in 7.6 million hectares.<br>
<br>Other crops that are expected to be available in the market before 2015 are potatoes with pest and/or disease resistance and modified quality for industrial use; sugar cane with quality and agronomic traits; and disease-resistant bananas. <br>
<br>Biotech vegetable crops—such as tomato, broccoli, cabbage and okra—that would require reduced amount of insecticides are being developed, along with propoor biotech cassava, sweet potato, pulses and ground nut, the report said.<br>
<br>Hautea noted the significance of 2015 as the end of the second decade when new biotech crops are available, because it is the target year under the Millennium Development Goals when a secure supply of affordable food is ensured and poverty and hunger have been reduced by 50 percent.<br>
<br>James said in the report that 2 billion acres or 800 million hectares were planted to biotech crops from 1996 to 2008, and that 13.3-million farmers in 25 countries planted biotech crops in 125 million hectares last year.<br>
<br>Among the notable developments, the report said, was the adoption of biotech crops in the African countries of Egypt (700 hectares of Bt corn) and Burkina Faso (8,500 hectares of Bt cotton), joining South Africa in biotech farming which, since 1998, has planted biotech cotton, corn and soybean.<br>
<br>"...Africa is considered the 'final frontier' for biotech crops as it has perhaps the greatest need and most to gain," ISAAA said.<br><br>In the Philippines, 200,000 small farmers planted about 350,000 hectares of Bt corn farms in 2008. <br>
<br>A socioeconomic impact study cited by ISAAA said that small farmers in the Philippines earn an additional income of P7,482 a hectare in the dry season and P7,080 in the wet season from Bt corn in crop year 2003-2004.<br>
<br>Multiawarded biotech corn farmer Lydia Lapastora of Isabela province said in the same media briefing she netted P11,021 a hectare from planting GM corn compared with the traditional varieties.<br><br>Bt corn is the only transgenic crop commercially planted in the Philippines. However, 46 other products with GM traits, such as soya and canola, are allowed to be imported into the country, said Dr. Emil Javier, president of the National Academy of Science and Technology, in the same briefing.<br>
<br>Javier said in a speech that in order for the Philippines to hasten the development of biotech crops, it should "sharpen [its] focus" on transgenic traits already commercialized by other countries and apply them in local crops so that it could "reap the full benefits of plant biotechnology with the resources and opportunities at hand." <br>
<br>He cited as example the development of Bt eggplant, and ring-spot virus-resistant papaya and delayed-ripening papaya in the country.<br><br>"We must put in more resources and speed up and scale up their testing and commercialization," he urged.<br>
<br>He also raised the need for more lawyers and technical people with "business savvy" that would sort out the legal and financial applications of biotech technologies that could be applied in the country.<br><br>He said almost all of the country's agribiotech research and development experts are in public hands but they do not have this kind of expertise in house. <br>
<br>"We must explore new ways of sourcing these expertise from the private sector to free our scientists from these roles they have no aptitude for, in the first place. We need lawyers and 'techies' to negotiate with foreign technology owners as well as with domestic private investors who will put up the capital and manage the enterprise," Javier said.<br>
<br>Besides the 25 countries growing biotech crops, Hautea said, 30 countries are not growing but importing such products, and three to four countries "unofficially" (not legally sanctioned by their governments) grow GM crops. <br>
<br>The countries planting biotech crops are (according to hectarage): United States covering 62.5 million hectares with soybean, corn, cotton, canola, squash, papaya, alfalfa and sugar beet; Argentina, 21 million (soybean, corn and cotton); Brazil, 15.8 million (soybean, corn and cotton); India, 7.6 million (cotton); Canada, 7.6 million (canola, corn, soybean and sugar beet); China, 3.8 million (cotton, tomato, poplar, petunia, papaya and sweet pepper); Paraguay, 2.7 million (soybean); South Africa, 1.8 million (corn, soybean and cotton); Uruguay, 700,000 (soybean and corn); Bolivia, 600,000 (soybean); Philippines, 400,000 (corn); Australia, 200,000 (cotton, canola and carnation); Mexico, 100,000 (cotton, soybean); Spain, 100,000 (corn); <br>
<br>Those planting biotech crops in less than 100,000 hectares are Chile with corn, soybean and canola; Colombia (cotton and carnation); Honduras (corn); Burkina Faso (cotton); and Czech Republic, Romania, Portugal, Germany, Poland, Slovakia and Egypt with GM corn.<br>
<br>By 2015, the ISAAA projection is that from the current 25 countries 40 more will plant biotech crops with 20 million or more farmers involved in about 200 million hectares. <br><br><strong>------------------------------------------------------------</strong><br>
<strong>2-VITAMIN A-FORTIFIED RICE MAY SOON HIT RP SHELVES</strong><br>by Riza T. Olchondra<br>16-Febuary-2009 Philippine Daily Inquirer<br><br>THE PHILIPPINES COULD BE the first country to commercialize Vitamin A-fortified rice or golden rice by 2013, according to a non-government organization (NGO).<br>
<br>Randy A. Hautea, global coordinator and Southeast Asian director of the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-Biotech Applications (ISAAA), said in a briefing that the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) was now conducting trials.<br>
<br>The Philippine Rice Research Institute is also expected to conduct field testing within the year, he said.<br><br>He said that golden rice will have about rice will have about the same average yield as traditional varieties at "easily 6 tons" a hectare, but harvest may be more consistent because of the variety's resistance to disease.<br>
<br>An added benefit is the high Vitamin A content, he said.<br><br>Hautea noted that the prospect of commercialization was high because Filipinos seem to be more open to having the fortified cereal.<br><br>"Acceptance among Filipinos is found to be high when the technology is explained well," he said, citing the beneficial values of the crop.<br>
<br>A prototype Golden Rice was developed in 1999 to provide the recommended daily allowance of vitamin A- in the form of beta-carotene-in 100-200-grams of rice, which corresponds to the daily rice consumption of children in rice-based societies.<br>
<br>According to the World Health Organization, dietary vitamin A deficiency causes some 250,000 to 500,000 children to go blind each year.<br><br>In late 2008, the Rockefeller Foundation said it would provide funding to Irri to shepherd Golden Rice through national, regulatory approval processes in Bangladesh, India, Indonesia and the Philippines.<br>
<br>Besides golden rice, ISAAA and the academe are calling for the adoption of more biotech crops to increase production and improve the quality of farm produce.<br><br>"We should adopt (biotechnology from abroad) so we can easily incorporate that in our crops," Hautea said.<br>
<br>Hybrid crops have been reported to increase yields and contain costs due to disease resistance.<br><br><strong>------------------------------------------------------------</strong><br><strong>3-'Bt' CORN HECTARES INCREASE BY 4.8%</strong><br>
by Jennifer A. Ng / Reporter <br>16-February-2009 </font><a target="_blank" href="http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=6077:bt-corn-hectares-increase-by-48-&catid=53:agri-commodities"><font color="#0000ff" size="2" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif">BusinessMirror</font></a><br>
<br><font size="2" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif">FARMLANDS planted to Bt corn went up by 4.8 percent to 330,000 hectares last year, from 315,000 hectares a year earlier, according to the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-Biotech Applications (ISAAA).<br>
<br>In a report on commercial biotechnology for genetically altered crops, entitled Global Status of Commercialized Biotech/GM Crops 2008, ISAAA noted at least 200,000 small farmers gained from biotech maize in 2008 and an additional income of P7,482 per hectare during the dry season and P7,080 per hectare during the wet season. (See main story in this section.) <br>
<br>"Farmers had additional income because Bt corn yielded more compared to the [traditional varieties] per hectare, the average yield is at around 6 to 7 metric tons [MT]," said Dr. Randy A. Hautea, Global Coordinator and Southeast Asia Center director of ISAAA at the sidelines of a media briefing held in Pasig City. Experts led by the Emil Javier, president of the National Academy of Science and Technology (NAST), say that the additional income gained by farmers from Bt cotton could have reached P2 billion to 3 billion last year. <br>
<br>In its annual study, ISAAA found that an additional 1.3 million farmers planted 10.7 million hectares of biotech crops, including Bt corn, in 2008. ISAAA also noted that 13.3 million farmers in a record 25 countries, including three new countries, planted 125 million hectares of biotech crops last year, the sixth-largest growth spurt in 13 years of reporting. This reflects an increase of 9.4 percent for 2008. <br>
<br>The Philippines was ranked 14 among the top global countries that planted biotech crops in 2008. With these developments, ISAAA expects biotech crops to enter a second wave of "strong adoption" and that future growth prospects are encouraging. <br>
<br>"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," said Clive James, chairman and founder of ISAAA, who wrote the report. <br>
<br>James noted that in 2008 Group of 8 (G-8) leaders for the first time recognized the significance of biotech crops and raised the call to "accelerate research and development and increase access to new agricultural technologies to boost agriculture production." <br>
<br><strong>------------------------------------------------------------</strong><br><strong>4-RP MAINTAINS STANDING IN WORLD BIOTECH LEAGUE</strong><br>by Rudy A. Fernandez<br>15-February-2009 </font><a target="_blank" href="http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=440380&publicationSubCategoryId=77"><font color="#0000ff" size="2" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif">The Philippine STAR</font></a><br>
<br><font size="2" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif">MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines has maintained its standing in the league of "biotechnology mega-countries."<br><br>"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).<br>
<br>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.<br>
<br>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.<br>
<br>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.<br>
<br>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.<br>
<br>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.<br>
<br>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.<br><br>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.<br>
<br>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.<br>
<br>Other countries that planted biotech crops in lesser areas were Chile, Colombia, Honduras, Burkina Paso, Czech Republic, Romania, Portugal, Germany, Poland, Slovakia, and Egypt.<br><br>About 200,000 Filipino farmers planted Bt corn in 2008.<br>
<br>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.<br><br>"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.<br>
<br>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.<br><br>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."<br>
<br>"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."<br>
<br>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."<br>
<br>The European Union (EU) also has acknowledged that biotech crops "can play an important role in mitigating the effects of the food crises."<br><br>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.<br>
<br>Dr. Javier also pointed out that R&D continues to debunk the grim picture portrayed by anti-biotechnology groups ("Frankenfood") in the past decade.<br><br>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."<br>
<br>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."<br>
<br><strong>------------------------------------------------------------</strong><br><strong>5-FORTIFIED WITH VITAMIN A: RP MAY BE FIRST TO OKAY 'GOLDEN' RICE</strong><br>by Melody M. Aguiba<br>15-February-2009 </font><a target="_blank" href="http://www.mb.com.ph/archive_pages.php?url=http://www.mb.com.ph/issues/2009/02/15/BSNS20090215148149.html"><font color="#0000ff" size="2" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif">Manila Bulletin</font></a><br>
<br><font size="2" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif">The Philippines may be the first to approve perhaps by 2012 the commercialization of Vitamin A-rich Golden Rice (GR) with multi-locational trials set soon and regulatory procedures in well-advanced stage. <br>
<br>The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) is foreseeing the Philippines' becoming first in the release of GR with both IRRI and the state-owned Philippine Rice Research Institute (Philrice) collaborating on this. <br>
<br>"The first approved Golden Rice may be in 2012, according to IRRI, that will likely happen in the Philippines," said International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Application (ISAAA) Global Coordinator Randy A. Hautea in a press briefing. <br>
<br>IRRI, which is developing the genetically modified (GM) rice for the South East Asian market, has conducted its own field-testing in July last year of its GR variety and may do a second field trial this year, according to ISAAA Senior Program Officer Rhodora R. Aldemita. <br>
<br>Moreover, Philrice is developing its own GR variety that will even have enhanced traits including tungro-resistance and bacterial leaf blight (BLB) resistance. <br><br>Since the food crisis last year, Hautea said many companies and human welfare institutions have become aware of the need to support development of crops with important traits. <br>
<br>In the case of golden rice, funding comes from the Harvest Plus, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Food and Agriculture Organization, and the International Atomic Energy Association. <br><br>Philrice's development of GR with tungro virus and BLB-resistance is seen to strengthen the GM rice's commercial prospect. The disease resistance is incorporated by the breeders using conventional breeding rather than genetic engineering. <br>
<br>Dr. Antonio A. Alfonso, PhilRice plant breeder, said that for PHilrice's part the commercial release of GR in the Philippines may be put off beyond 2011-1012 if the Humanitarian Board and the GR Network decide to use Golden Rice 2, which has the highest level of beta-carotene. <br>
<br>So far, PhilRice has worked on GR1 that has lower betacarotene content than GR2. For the disease resistance, breeders used conventional breeding rather than genetic engineering. <br><br>"The targeted release on 2011 or 2012 is not yet final and may have to be modified. We have to obtain additional important data particularly on the stability and bioavailability of betacarotene in the different Golden Rice versions before the final donor will be identified. That will definitely affect the timeline for commercialization," he said. <br>
<br>The GR is eyed to have a yield level similar to other newly-released varieties or at least five metric tons per hectare. PhilRice needs to conduct several seasons of multilocational field trials prior to release of GR. For this variety to get the stamp of approval by the National Seed Industry Council, it should also pass certain standards for grain and eating quality, disease and insect pest resistance and, being a genetically modified organism, biosafety. <br>
<br>Based on initial findings, betacarotene level in GR may fall significantly several weeks after harvest. <br><br>"Betacarotene is not stable when exposed to light, and there are enzymatic reactions within the rice grain which lead to degradation of betacarotene," Alfonso said. <br>
<br>Dr. William G. Padolina, International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) deputy director general, said IRRI is just stabilizing the backcrossed varieties at IRRI after which GR2 lines will be released to other rice research institutions. <br>
<br>It is estimated that 100 to 140 million children worldwide suffer from Vitamin A Deficiency which is causing blindness, measles, and child mortality. <br><br>While certain non-government organizations (NGO) have criticized huge budget allocation for Golden Rice as against the commodity's value, many believe that fortifying rice with Vitamin A would be an effective and sustainable means to help Vitamin A-deficient rice-eating populations. <br>
<br>"For poor Filipinos, rice with a little amount of salt or a little amount of fish sauce will already make a meal (as no other)," said Dr. Evelyn Mae Tecson-Mendoza of the Institute of Plant Breeding-University of the PHilippines-Los Banos. <br>
<br>IRRI is also fortifying rice varieties with zinc and iron as zinc deficiency in South East Asia is reaching to 71 percent, according to Harvest Plus, while anemia arising from iron deficiency is affecting 57 percent of studied population. <br>
<br>IRRI plant breeders have already exceeded their targeted 24 micrograms per gram zinc content on rice while the target of 14 micrograms er gram target on high iron rice has yet to be hit at the prevent eight ug per g level. <br>
<br>While it is possible to combine biofortified zinc and iron-rich rice with GR, Padolina said no work on this is yet on-going. <br><br>Another genetically engineered rice is planned to be released in China . This is resistant to lepidopteran pests.<br>
<br>However, breeders are confident that the bio-fortified rice varieties may likely have stronger acceptability among consumers and farmers. <br><br>"We hope ( China will be the first to release a GM rice in Asia ). But we have to be careful to commercialize GM rice because we export rice to other countries. Maybe in China there's no problem, but there (may be a problem) in the export market," said Zhen Zhu of the Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, in a recent biotechnology forum. <br>
<br>China is ready to commercialize its GM rice if not for the fear certain preparations that it hopes will also ready its export market for the rice. <br><br><br><strong>------------------------------------------------------------</strong><br>
<strong>6-RP EXPANDS BT CROP AREA BY 100,000 HECTARES MORE</strong><br>by Melody M. Aguiba<br>15-February-2009 </font><a target="_blank" href="http://www.mb.com.ph/archive_pages.php?url=http://www.mb.com.ph/issues/2009/02/15/BSNS20090215148152.html"><font color="#0000ff" size="2" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif">Manila Bulletin</font></a><br>
<br><font size="2" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif">The Philippines has posted another biotechnology (Bt) crop growth with a 100,000-hectare expansion of genetically modified (GM) corn to 350,000 hectares, although expansion may later slow down as it saturates the market. <br>
<br>The International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-Biotech Applications (ISAAA) has reported the significant 40 percent growth for 2008 from the previous year's 250,000 hectare-area for the Asiatic corn borer-resistant Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) corn. <br>
<br>However, ISAAA Global Coordinator Randy A. Hautea said growth in the future may slow down as Bt corn is now eating up on the hybrid corn area. <br><br>"One-third of our yellow corn is now Bt corn," Hautea said in a press briefing, implying a saturation in the market. <br>
<br>More technologically-advanced farmers planting hybrid rice are normally the ones who have the technical know-how and have the resources to shift to the genetically modified (GM) corn. <br><br>ISAAA attributes the fast growth of the country's biotechnology corn area to the spread of information regarding the benefit farmers get from Bt corn. While organizations like religious ones may be blocking expansion of the technology, he said farmers in religiously-devout countries like Brazil and Argentina have influenced each other in adopting GM technologies. <br>
<br>This, he said, may happen in the Philippines and its neighboring countries which are now adopting biotechnology crops after the country pioneered Bt corn's commercialization in 2002. <br><br>Already 55 countries have officially adopted biotechnology crops of which 25 including the Philippines publicly declare their approval of it. <br>
<br>The other countries with big areas are biotechnology areas are the United States, 62.5 million hectares; Argentina, 21 million; Brazil, 15.8 million; India and Canada, 7.6 million each; China, 3.8 million; Paraguay, 2.7 million; South Africa, 1.8 million; Uruguay, 700,000 hectares; and Bolivia, 600,000 hectares. <br>
<br>While certain countries have policies against-growing GM crops, 30 countries including Japan publicly declare approval for GM crops' importation. <br><br>Moreover, in South East Asia, there are three or four countries that are growing GM crops despite non-official approval. These are Vietnam, Thailand, and Malaysia. <br>
<br>Lydia Lapastora, an Isabela farmer who has become millionaire out of growing Bt corn, said in the same press briefing that her average yield for the Roundup Ready yellow corn, a herbicide-resistant GM corn, is at 6.4 metric tons (MT) per hectare. <br>
<br>Her yield even reaches to seven MT per hectare which is way higher than the 5.5 MT per hectare average for non-conventional corn. <br><br>Lapastora, a Magsasaka Siyentista 2008 awardee, said her net income for the herbicide-resistant corn has increased to P45,215 per hectare, up from P34,194 per hectare using the conventional corn. <br>
<br>This as she eliminated her P1,500 per hectare cost for corn borer control and as her weed control cost dropped to P1,240 per hectare in the GM corn compared to P2,750 per hectare in the conventional corn.<br><br><strong>------------------------------------------------------------</strong><br>
<strong>7-MORE FARMERS GO FOR Bt CORN</strong><br>by Zac B. Sarian<br>14-February-2009 </font><a target="_blank" href="http://www.mb.com.ph/archive_pages.php?url=http://www.mb.com.ph/issues/2009/02/15/AGRI20090215148062.html"><font color="#0000ff" size="2" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif">Manila Bulletin</font></a><br>
<br><font size="2" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif">DON'T look now, but more and more farmers are planting Bt corn, the GMO or genetically modified corn variety that many anti-biotech people had been condemning. Last year, at least 200,000 small corn farmers planted and made money from Bt corn, planting some 350,000 hectares. <br>
<br>The fast increasing popularity of Bt corn with local farmers could be easily gauged by the fact that in 2005, only 10,000 hectares were planted to this transgenic crop. Last year, the figure increased 35 times. <br><br>
One avid grower of Bt corn is a widow, 54-year-old Lydia Lapastora of Brgy. Yeban Norte, Benito Soliven, Isabela. She has been planting Bt corn since 2005 when the same was first allowed to be commercially grown in the country. Despite the admonition of the priest in her hometown, she planted Bt corn and is really glad she did.<br>
<br>Last year, Lydia planted Bt corn on 10 hectares and harvested an average of 6.4 tons per hectare. That's almost double the average of 3.57 tons per hectare harvested by corn farmers nationwide. On the average, she realized an additional net profit of P11,000 per hectare as a result of planting Bt corn. Since she planted two times on the same area last year, she really made a significant income from this GMO<br>
<br>The Bt corn, by the way, is more profitable to grow because it does not require any chemical spraying against the very destructive corn earworm that damages a lot of corn crops. This resists corn attack because the gene of Bacillus thuringensis, a natural enemy of corn earworm has been incorporated in the transgenic corn. Chemical pesticides are not only expensive, they also poison the environment. That is why Bt corn is actually considered environmentally friendly.<br>
<br>Corn is the only genetically modified crop that is being commercially grown in the Philippines. In other countries like the United States, Brazil, China and India, millions of hectares are now planted to transgenic soybean, cotton, corn and a few other crops. Work is under way, however, on the development of transgenic papaya and eggplant. The potentials of transgenic crops are really great but adequate research and development funds are badly needed. So are the right policies of the government.<br>
<br></font><font size="2"><font face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><strong>------------------------------------------------------------<br>8-AREA PLANTED TO BIOTECH CORN UP 40%<br></strong>By John Poquiz (Reporter)<br>13-February-2009 </font></font><a target="_blank" href="http://www.malaya.com.ph/feb13/agri3.htm"><font color="#0000ff" size="2" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif">Malaya</font></a><br>
<br><font size="2" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif">The country's adoption of biotech maize has increased consistently over the years. A study by the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-Biotech Application (ISAAA) showed that in 2008, area planted to biotech maize grew by 40 percent to 350,000 hectares from 248,000 hectares in 2007.<br>
<br>Areas occupied in 2008 by stacked traits of Biotech Herbicide Tolerant (BT/H) maize is 200,000 hectares, up by 300 percent from 63,000 hectares in 2007.<br><br>The research showed that farms planting biotech maize in the northern Philippine provinces were determined to have significantly higher populations of beneficial insects--such as flower bugs, beetles, and spiders--than those planted with conventional hybrid maize.<br>
<br>Farm level economic benefit of planting biotech maize for the period of 2003 to 2007 was registered at about $66 million. Twelve million dollars of this was from the tolerance of maize from herbicide, and $55 was from insect resistance.<br>
<br>The research showed that the gain profit at the farm level was P10,132 per hectare for farmers planting biotech maize.<br><br>Overall, the study showed that the Philippines has already gained $30 million from biotech maize from 2003 to 2006.<br>
<br>In 2008, stacked maize traits, BT/H, represent 60 percent of the biotech maize in the country.<br><br>More biotech products are expected to be commercialized in the next five years.<br><br>There are recent studies being conducted for the propagation of other biotech crops such as rice, eggplant, abaca and coconut.<br>
<br><strong>------------------------------------------------------------</strong><br></font><font size="2"><font face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><strong>VIETNAM<br>9-VIETNAM TO GROW GENETICALLY MODIFIED CROPS BY 2015: CONFERENCE<br>
</strong>17-February-2009 </font></font><a target="_blank" href="http://www.thanhniennews.com/education/?catid=4&newsid=46143"><font color="#0000ff" size="2" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif">VNA via Than Thien Daily</font></a><br>
<br><font size="2" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif">Vietnamese farmers will be growing genetically modified crops by 2015, said Agricultural Genetics Institute head Le Huy Ham at a conference in Hanoi last week.<br><br>Since gene-altered crop research here began in 2006, some species of plants have been grown in vitro, Ham said at the conference on "World Status and Achievements in Growing Genetically Modified Crops."<br>
<br>Rice, corn and soybeans are the focus of current Vietnamese research in the field, he said.<br><br>However, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development must issue regulations on testing and assessing the crops before such products could be officially launched here, said scientists at the conference.<br>
<br>Coordinator Randy Hautea from the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA) said 25 countries in the world had grown biotech crops, including 15 developing countries, on 800 million hectares of land.<br>
<br>ISAAA is a non-profit organization that works to transfer agricultural biotechnologies to the poor in developing countries.<br><br>Genetically modified crops have been a subject of controversy since they were first created in the 1980s.<br>
<br>Some experts have warned that they could be problematic for environmental reasons and could also have ill effects on the health of people who eat them.<br><br><strong>------------------------------------------------------------</strong><br>
</font><font size="2"><font face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><strong>AFRICA<br>10-KENYA APPROVES GM AFTER YEARS OF DELAYS<br></strong>18-February-2009 </font></font><a target="_blank" href="http://scidev.net/en/agriculture-and-environment/agri-biotech-in-africa/news/kenya-approves-gm-after-years-of-delays.html"><font color="#000000" size="2" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif">SciDev.Net</font></a><br>
<br><font size="2" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif">[NAIROBI] Kenya has become the fourth African country to allow the production and use of genetically modified (GM) crops after president Mwai Kibaki signed off on parliament's approval of new biosafety legislation last week (13 February).<br>
<br>The Biosafety Bill 2008 sees the East African nation join Burkina Faso, Egypt and South Africa as African nations which permit genetically modified farming, following years of fine-tuning to the proposed regulations and mechanisms to monitor and regulate GM technology, and protect farmers and.<br>
<br>A National Biosafety Authority will now be created, under the National Council for Science and Technology, to implement the legislation and to follow priorities as stated in the National Biotechnology Development Policy passed in, Margaret Karembu, director of the Kenya-based African centre of the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA), told SciDev.Net.<br>
<br>She adds that the new legislation will fast-track the Water Efficient Maize for Africa (WEMA) project to develop drought-resistant maize, which had stalled due to the lack of a legislative framework.<br><br>Charles Watoro, director of Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI) says a lot of agricultural research has been delayed due to several postponements in passing the legislation. The new law will allow open field trials in several locations, removing previous restrictions and speeding up agricultural improvements, he says.<br>
<br>"But we need implementation of this law very fast," he adds.<br><br>Watoro says KARI researchers are working on cotton, maize, cassava, sweet potatoes and sorghum genetically modified to resist common pests.<br>
<br>Meanwhile, an international survey of 13 years of genetically modified agriculture up until 2008, released in Nairobi in the same week (11 February) by ISAAA, says there is substantial evidence that crops genetically modified to withstand drought, salt, insects and diseases are safe for human consumption.<br>
<br>ISAAA founder Clive James said at a press conference in Nairobi (12 February) that biotechnology delivers food that is as safe as those produced through conventional agriculture. "This technology is regulated more heavily than any other,'' said James.<br>
<br>James applauded the ratification of the Biosafety Bill by the Kenyan president, saying the process indicated mature leadership responding to the food crisis, which has been declared a national disaster.<br><br>He added that ISAAA is interested in helping developing countries like Kenya with the decision-making process but that ultimately it is up to the individual countries to make decisions on biotechnology.<br>
<br>Link to </font><a target="_blank" href="http://www.isaaa.org/resources/publications/briefs/39/executivesummary/default.html"><font color="#0000ff" size="2" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif">executive summary of ISAAA report</font></a><br>
<br><font size="2"><font face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><strong>------------------------------------------------------------</strong><br></font></font><font size="2"><font face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><strong>GLOBAL<br>
11-GENETICALLY MODIFIED CROPS GAIN GLOBAL FOOTHOLD<br></strong>by Wandera Ojanji<br>19-February-2009 </font></font><a target="_blank" href="http://www.bdafrica.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=12984&Itemid=5813"><font color="#0000ff" size="2" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif">BusinessDaily Africa</font></a><br>
<br><font size="2" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif">February 19, 2009: Genetically modified (GM) crops are gaining more popularity despite spirited campaigns against them.<br><br>A report released last week shows a marked increase not only in the area under cultivation of GM crops, but also the number of farmers, countries planting the GM crops and the varieties of the GM crops, particularly those that have been engineered to carry multiple genes to address multiple production constraints.<br>
<br>The area under cultivation of GM crops grew strongly reaching 125 million hectares in 2008, up from 114.3 million hectares in 2007 — a 9.4 per cent increase that is also the sixth largest increase since the first commercialization of GM crops in 1996, according to the report, Global Status of Commercialized Biotech/GM Crops: 2008. <br>
<br>However, although the number of countries planting biotech crops increased to 25, comprising 15 developing countries and 10 industrial countries, about eight countries dominate planting of GM crops — with the USA accounting for 62.5 million ha, Argentina 21.0, Brazil 15.8, India 7.6, Canada 7.6, China 3.8, Paraguay 2.7, and South Africa 1.8 million hectares. <br>
<br>Uruguay, Bolivia, Philippines, Australia, Mexico, Spain, Chile, Colombia, Honduras, Burkina Faso, Czech Republic, Romania, Portugal, Germany, Poland, Slovakia and Egypt are the other countries growing biotech crops. Growth in acreage under biotech crops was indeed expected. <br>
<br>But what was surprising was the rate of increase. While it took it took 10 years to reach the first billion acres, it took only three years to reach the second billion.<br><br>"These are very important developments given that biotech crops can contribute to some of the major challenges facing global society, including food security, high price of food, sustainability, alleviation of poverty and hunger, and help mitigate some of the challenges associated with climate change," stated Dr Clive James, founder and chair of the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA) at the release of the report in Nairobi last week. <br>
<br>A notable trend in the adoption of the biotech crops is that more farmers are now preferring biotech crops with stacked traits, that is, GM crops with multiple genes introduced to fight multiple production constraints, particularly so among countries that were among the first to commercialize biotech crops.<br>
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