A hefty leap in the growing of genetically modified Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) corn by more than 100 percent to 200,000 hectares in 2006 is contributing to the Philippines’ achieving a significant level of corn sufficiency.

The International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-Biotech Applications (ISAAA) reported that the increase in Bt corn area in the country from the previous year’s 70,000 hectares has made it the tenth largest country that cultivated genetically modified (GM) crops in 2006.

More important, it is contributing to increased productivity and farmers’ higher income as it brings a doubled yield of five to six metric tons (MT) per hectare over the three MT yield in certain varieties. That benefit has been true in the experience of farmers in most countries.

"More than 90 percent or 9.3 million farmers growing biotechnology crops last year were small, resource-poor farmers from the developing world, allowing biotechnology to make a modest contribution to the alleviation of their poverty,’ said Clive James, ISAAA chairman.

Randy A. Hautea, ISAAA director-global coordinator, told a press briefing that more poor countries have been embracing GM crops at a faster growth rate than developed countries as these technology crops were really developed to combat food scarcity.

"Biotechnology crops in developing countries grew by seven million hectares or 21 percent in 2006 which is bigger than the five million hectares (expansion) or nine percent growth in industrial countries,’ he said.

Dr. Emil Q. Javier, National Academy of Science and Technology president said the Philippines needs to develop more GM or hybrid corn varieties particularly for the white corn which is a staple of Visayas and Mindanao natives.

"The bigger challenge is in white corn. The private sector is now taking up the task of developing this," he said.

Javier explained that out of the 2.5 million hectares of corn land in the country, a big 1.4 million hectares is planted on white corn but with a low yield of perhaps just about one MT per hectare. By raising yield through technologies in hybrid corn, this area can be largely cut and be devoted to yellow corn used for livestock feed.

The University of the Philippines-Los Baños, he said, has to learn to commercialize hybrid corn technologies previously developed so as to better help raise food security in case privately-developed hybrids’ price gets prohibitive.

The Philippines posted an increase in corn production from 5.25 million MT in 2005 to 6.08 million MT in 2006, a level that almost meets the country’s total corn consumption that should cancel imports.

That is if not for the poor and inadequate number of post harvest facilities that should ensure corn gets 100 percent sold to livestock raisers and feed-makers.

Bt corn is one of those new varieties that is pulling this production up even despite farmers’ omitting chemical-pesticide spray or manual weeding.

"For the first time since I began planting corn in 1983, I was able to produce a fully clean ear of corn with no damage at all. It increased my productivity by 90 percent and eliminated pesticide costs," said Isidro B. Acosta, a farmer in Naguillian, Isabela and also vice president of the Asian Farmers Regional Network (ASFARNET).