DA chief for safe GMO aggie products

Agriculture Secretary Proceso J. Alcala is not closing the door shut to genetically modified organisms (GMOs) as long as they are safe to consumers and the environment, and, are guaranteed to raise the incomes of farmers.

"Biotechnology gives big help and contribution to us, especially on the organic system of farming. We can use biotechnology against those that destroy crops," in reference to advances made in pest control and the use of bacteria as agents to inoculate crops from diseases.

"But there are GMOs like Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) eggplant… let us continue where we are now in testing [these products.] But I will not allow these products to be produced and sold in the market without any proof that this will not mean growing additional [mutant] hands on our back. We should be sure these are safe for our fellow countrymen," he quipped.

Alcala, a practising organic farmer, authored the Organic Agriculture Act of 2010, otherwise known as  Republic Act No. 100681, to promote natural farming as an alternative to conventional agriculture when he was still representing the second district of Quezon in Congress.

The new law mandates the propagation of organic rice and vegetables in 400,000 hectares

of farms nationwide, which is roughly 10 percent of all Philippine land devoted to agriculture.

Another law makes it state policy to promote biotechnology products in agriculture

and harness natural ingredients for a variety of pharmaceutical, industrial

and consumer products.

Alcala says there is a big market for organic products worldwide, with the annual turnover placed at $50 billion, with the growth rate as high as 30 percent in the European and American zones.

The Department of Agriculture (DA) is mandated by law to intensify biotechnology research and commercialize technologies that have passed rigid scientific protocols crafted by the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) subject to approval by scientists and independent inspectors belonging to the National Committee on Biosafety of the Philippines.

Recently, DA-Biotechnology  Program Office director Dr. Candida Adalla said that the DA’s stand is to produce what the country needs through whatever options available and that organic farming is still the banner program of the department.