“My vision for governance is that in 2013, the Philippine government will achieve self-sufficiency or even export rice... further improve the state of the economy and get the Philippines free from the past 'Asian patients'.†This is the Philippine president’s New Year message this year.
This wish can not help but wonder: How can a country with 90% rice dependent on imports achieve export within one year?
The Philippine president’s confidence may come from genetic modification. The Philippines is currently the first country in Asia to vigorously develop the planting of GM crops. Even if the world is concerned about genetic modification, especially the controversy over "golden rice" in recent years, the Philippines has decided to believe this research and take the risk.
The Philippine government's food "leaps into"
At the International Rice Research Institute in Maligay City, Dr. Gerard Barry told China Economic Weekly that the Philippines is a country that eats rice as a staple food, but due to natural conditions, there is very little land available for rice cultivation. The total rice production in the Philippines can only be ranked first in Asia.
At present, only about 10% of the rice needed by the Philippines can be self-sufficient. However, the Philippines hopes to achieve full self-sufficiency in 2013. On April 19, Philippine Presidential Office spokesman Edwina said at a regular press conference that from 2014 onwards, the Philippines will stop importing rice and achieve self-sufficiency in rice.
In order to realize this vision, the Philippine government began to rely heavily on the power of science and technology to grow large quantities of genetically modified crops to increase yields.
As early as 2002, the Philippine government issued Executive Order No. 8 to clarify laws and regulations on the import and release of plants and plant products derived from modern biotechnology into the environment. In 2003, the Philippines approved biotech (GM) maize (2439, 7.00, 0.29%) for commercial planting; in 2005, herbicide-tolerant biotech maize was approved for commercial plantation, and in 2006, the Philippines’ Presidential Decree No. 514, The National Biosafety Act of the Philippines No. 3720, as well as the Food, Drugs and Cosmetics Act, etc., further regulate the relevant contents of genetically modified crops.
In addition, the Philippine government also approved the cultivation of genetically modified rapeseed, alfalfa, cotton (20150, 10.00, 0.05%), potatoes, soybeans (4800, -1.00, -0.02%) and sugar beets, and hopes to use the power of technology to help Agricultural development in the country.
250,000 Peasants Choose to Plant Genetically Modified Maize
When a university teacher retired and returned to the countryside to become a farmer who contracted farms to manage crops. From the beginning only to hire people to manage the farms, and to the basic mechanized operation nowadays, Perla Asor, a Philippine farmer, achieved a bumper harvest by planting genetically modified crops.
“I got seed learning technology and started planting genetically modified crops with the help of the government. At the beginning, I also had a skeptical attitude, but when I saw that the latest type of genetically modified corn can not only resist insects, but also save a lot of pesticides and labor. When weeds grow to a certain height, as long as weeding herbicides, weeds will die in the ground, just for the fertilization of corn.†Perla Asor told China Economic Weekly.
According to the reporter at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), one of the world’s most famous rice research institutions on the outskirts of Manila, various GM rice varieties are being studied here: rice that can tolerate drought, rice that can tolerate extreme heat, and the ability to endure salinity Rice and so on. These studies will all be conducted in the Philippines. After the Philippine government verifies safety, the International Rice Research Institute will hand over the seeds to the Philippine government for free. The government will send these seeds to poor farmers in remote areas.
The Philippine government is also vigorously promoting the cultivation of genetically modified corn. At present, there are 250,000 farmers in the Philippines who choose to plant genetically modified corn. The planting area has reached 490,000 hectares and the economic benefits they have brought have reached 88 million U.S. dollars.
"I know there is a lot of debate surrounding GM crops, but it has improved the quality of seeds and helped us improve our lives. So why not plant them?!" Philippines farmer Paraluman told China Economy Weekly.
The most controversial "golden rice"
In a paddy field outside Manila in the Philippine capital, a kind of transgenic rice called "golden rice" has been harvested.
This is currently the most controversial GM crop, and reports about it are common.
From April 2008, "Golden Rice" began field trials in the Philippines. As the name suggests, because the GM rice is golden yellow, it is called "golden rice." According to the reporter at the International Rice Research Center, the staff is cultivating and screening this kind of rice. They carefully pick samples from a large number of rice, store them in containers and store them in cryogenic specimen chambers for various tests.
Nearly 100,000 kinds of rice specimens collected from around the world are collected here. International Rice Research Center staff told China Economic Weekly that “Golden Rice†is expected to enter the market soon in the Philippines. In addition, scientists in India, Indonesia and Vietnam are also developing corresponding golden rice based on local rice varieties.
Dr. Gerard Barry, an expert at the International Rice Research Institute and responsible for cultivating "Golden Rice", said in an interview with China Economic Weekly that the original intention of studying "Golden Rice" was to solve vitamin A deficiency. Vitamin A deficiency is one of the world's four major nutritional deficiency diseases recognized by the World Health Organization. Lack of vitamin A can lead to decreased immunity, dry eyes and even blindness in children. In general, vitamin A can be supplemented by eating milk, meat, fish, shrimp, eggs, liver, vegetables, and cod liver oil. This problem is not serious for richer countries with more abundant meals.
In the poorer areas, the problem of vitamin A deficiency appears to be more prominent. About 1 million children in Asia each year die of low immunity due to lack of vitamin A, and about 350,000 children in Asia suffer from blindness due to lack of vitamin A.
The World Health Organization believes that the best way to solve this problem is not to distribute vitamin A tablets to the poor, but to find ways to increase the content of carotene in the diet of the poor. Rice is the staple food of Asians. Many poor people in Southeast Asia rely almost exclusively on rice for survival. Unfortunately, ordinary rice does not contain carotene. Traditional breeding methods such as crossbreeding cannot be used to increase the carotene content of rice. Only genetic techniques are used.
"There are doubters who believe that 'golden rice' may threaten the environment and food security, but no one can deny that it contains beta-carotene that can produce vitamin A, which can help people to supplement daily necessary vitamin A, and 'golden rice' will It has become one of the few GM crops in the world that directly benefit consumers. Although it is constantly being disputed by the outside world, it ultimately benefits farmers.†said Dr. Gerard Barry.
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