Thirty eight representatives from the academe, provincial agriculture offices, regional field units of the Department of Agriculture, national government agencies, non-government organizations, private sector and international development institution gathered at SEARCA on 12-13 December 2006 for the “Consultative Workshop on Selected Philippine Crop Biotech Projects: The Way Forward.”

The workshop aimed to enhance awareness and appreciation of crop biotechnology projects in the Philippines, and discuss and address potential issues concerning field trials of crop biotechnology projects. It also aimed to forge cooperation and networking among potential implementing partners.

Resource persons discussed global and Philippine crop biotechnology status and biosafety regulations for field trials of genetically modified crops. Presentations highlighted the status, product path, safety assessment, and socioeconomic and intellectual property/licensing aspects of the Agricultural Biotechnology Support Program II (ABSPII)-supported papaya ringspot virus (PRSV)-resistant papaya and Bt eggplant projects. The participants recommended possible composition of the institutional biosafety committee, commitments from partner agencies, strategies and activities for public communication, and platforms for information sharing.

Field visit to the contained facilities at the University of the Philippines-Institute of Plant Breeding (UPLB-IPB) was conducted to enable the participants to see first hand PRSV-resistant papaya and Bt eggplants.

The workshop was organized by the Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Development (DOST-PCARRD), SEARCA BIC and the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA), with support from ABSPII (SEARCA BIC).