On July 29-30, 2008, potential partners for the multi-location field trials of biotech papaya resistant to papaya ring-spot virus and biotech eggplant resistant to fruit-and-shoot borer (Bt eggplant) participated in a series of familiarization activities aimed to enhance their knowledge on these crop biotech products.

The participants were briefed by the research leaders from University of the Philippines-Institute of Plant Breeding (UPLB-IPB) on recent developments and activities regarding the two biotech projects. They also visited and saw first-hand the ongoing evaluation of promising biotech papaya under confined trials at Barangay Paciano, Bay, Laguna. A biosafety orientation seminar followed which discussed the biosafety framework and regulations in the Philippines and the food and environmental safety aspects of biotech papaya and eggplant. The participants also provided their comments and suggestions to improve the draft ‘Question and Answer (Q&A)’ fact-sheets for the Information Resource Kit of Biotech Papaya and Eggplant. Besides the lecturettes, the participants participated in infotainment activities like the Biotech Puzzle Game and a version of the television game show on ‘Are you smarter than a 5th grader?’

The 39 participants comprising of local partners, resource persons, and facilitators came from the academe, local government units, government R&D organizations, private sector, and development organizations.

The activities were co-organized by SEARCA BIC with Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCARRD), the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA), and the Program for Biosafety Systems – Southeast Asia (PBS SEAsia).

To view the program and photos, click on the link below:

http://www.bic.searca.org/seminar_proceedings/index.html#31jul

(Sonny P. Tababa, SEARCA BIC).