The rapid growth of our country's population has posed many problems to our government officials, policymakers, economists, farmers and other food producers. How to feed these millions of mouths daily is one big task for them. There are already many signs that many of our people are suffering from hunger. Thirty percent if of our people live below the poverty line.

The total land area of the Philippines is 115,600 square kilometers. Urbanization, growth of subdivisions, infrastructure programs of the government, etc., have reduced the available areas for food production. On the other hand, the Philippine population has increased many times. In 1903, the Philippine population was 7 million. It rose to 12 million in 1918, 16 million in 1939, 27 million in 1960, 50 million in 1975, and 84 million in 2004.

Increasing the hectarage of land devoted to food production, organic farming, and hydrophonic farming, development of hybrid varieties pf plants and animals, etc., are solutions being pursued by our leaders to meet the manifold food needs of our people.

Also being studied by our scientists is the use of biotechnology to enhance food production. Biotechnology is the "application of scientific and engineering principles to the processing of materials by biological agents to provide goods and services."

The Department of Agriculture (DA) is holding the First National Biotechnology Week July 4-7, 2005, with DA's Biotechnology Program Implementation Unit leading the celebration. "More Food. Increased Livelihood. Safer Lives" is the theme of this pioneering affair, highlighting how biotechnology works for our people and helps national development through development of more nutrient-packed food, increased farm yields and incomes, affordable vaccine and medicines, cleaner communities with better managed waste, etc.

We congratulate the Department of Agriculture and its Biotechnology Program Implementation Unit and wish them success.