As time marches on, the universal expectation is that our lives will improve. As we go through life, we face various challenges. Among the victors and survivors, the attitude is always that of overcoming challenges. We marshal our capabilities to overcome. Challenges have come and gone but a review of recorded history shows that mankind has made tremendous leaps forward. No matter what challenges lie ahead, thinking man digs deep into his capabilities to come up with measures to better his condition. Few will condone much less accept the pessimistic philosopher’s statement that, “Men’s lives are lives of quiet desperation.”

Where we stand
Many challenges are apparent to mankind. Those which are clear to the Filipino are:

Estimates of the Philippine population range from 90 to 100 millions and counting.

With global climate change, as a nation composed of thousands of islands some of which are low lying and most of which are inadequately protected against the ravages of nature, the country is at risk from major disasters.

A sizable percentage of our energy needs is provided by the importation of fuel.

The Philippines is considered one of the top ten biodiversity hotspots.

The expected lifetimes of Filipinos are substantially lower than that of many countries.

The incidence of poverty and closely following on its heels, hunger, is unacceptably high.

Regardless of whether the Philippine population increases or levels off, aware that every baby born can potentially bring untold benefits, it behooves responsible society to ensure that every new Filipino lives a life invested with the wherewithal not only to survive but also to prosper. If the estimate of 10 million hectares of our land is arable land is correct, every Filipino must obtain all his food and fiber needs on roughly 1,000 square meters of land or a little bit more.

If climate scientists are correct in forecasting more frequent typhoons and that these typhoons will have wind velocities higher than those which have come before, that the level of the ocean surrounding our islands will inexorably rise, flooding low lying areas including not only arable land but cities as well, that long droughts may alternate with floods, the living conditions of many Filipinos will be drastically altered. Most agricultural scientists affirm that higher temperatures will decrease crop yields compounding the crises that can affect our nation.

Within the last few decades, we have augmented our energy needs from geothermal plants, small fractions from wind and biomass in its natural state (chiefly wood) largely with imported oil and coal. Should major disruptions in the supply of imported energy sources come to pass, Philippine industries would suffer tremendously, as would our life styles.

Although the Philippines is blessed with a huge variety of endemic flora and fauna, being classified a hotspot means that the country is rapidly losing many of her natural blessings.

In common with other developing nations, the expected lifetimes of Filipinos are much lower than that of developed countries. What distresses is that in comparison with neighboring countries which are not significantly different from the Philippines, the extension of Filipino lifetimes has not kept pace with those attained by these neighbors.

The high incidence of poverty and its attendant hunger in the Philippines is simply a product of the challenges described.

Clearly, the time to effectively address our challenges is long overdue.

Potentials for Uplifting the Filipino
Social scientists point to many reasons for the state of our nation. Among these are our country’s weakness in science and technology. Although biotechnology has been widely accepted as a useful tool elsewhere in the world, it remains a fledgling science in the Philippines. This article focuses on the potential of this scientific tool in addressing food security and other related issues in the Philippines. It is intended to shed light on a new technology with which few people are familiar. By casting light to unravel known truths, my hope is that the explanations will demystify this new science. Familiarity with something new casts away the demons associated with the new unknown.

Status of Biotechnology in the Philippines
If for the moment we adhere to a definition of modern biotechnology as the science which pertains to genetic engineering and the products derived from its use, its status can be summarized as follows.

Present status
In December 2002, the Philippines approved the commercial planting of Bt corn. In this genetically modified corn, genes from a microorganism, Bacillus thuringensis, were introduced through the wonders of genetic engineering into hybrid corn seeds. As had been shown through wide spread planting in other countries eight years earlier, Bt corn effectively controlled insect larvae called corn borers.

Prior to the introduction of Bt corn, infestation by corn borers were controlled mainly through insecticide spraying. Insecticides are effective only if they eliminate the pests before they enter the plants. After a borer enters a corn plant, no further spraying can effectively eliminate the larvae which are embedded deep within the tissues.

If the borers get into the corn kernels, the protective covering of the kernels are destroyed, rendering them susceptible to growth of molds. In addition to the obvious physical downgrading of the corn cob, some types of molds lower quality through production of aflatoxins. Aflatoxins are among the most poisonous of toxins and have been correlated with serious health hazards, including cancer. A survey of locally produced corn made a few years ago showed that a significant percentage contained aflatoxin.

Soon after the introduction of Bt corn, another gene was introduced into corn seeds. This gene protected the corn from spraying of a herbicide. By definition, a herbicide is intended to destroy herbs, including young corn plants. Introduction of herbicide tolerant seed corn changed some traditional farming rules.

Plowing is routinely performed to destroy as many portions of plants, principally roots and other components, which can grow. Not only does plowing require energy and labor, it exposes soil sublayers such that upon raining, the topsoil and nutrients associated with it are washed off with run-off water. Agricultural engineers have long known that field preparation, principally plowing, leads to soil erosion. Equations which quantify the extent of erosion exist. Although traditional soil preparation practices have been utilized for centuries and continue to be assiduously practiced with the knowledge that they inexorably lead to erosion, they have been retained because without such land preparation the main crop would soon be overrun with weeds.

With the introduction of herbicide tolerance all plants are initially allowed to grow along with the main crop with much reduced soil preparation. At a predetermined point in the growth cycle, a herbicide is sprayed to eliminate most if not all the weeds. Only the herbicide tolerant plants, in this case corn, survive.

The accrued advantages are less labor and energy to prepare the field, less soil erosion which translates to less loss of plant nutrients and generally higher yields. Less weeds that compete with the main crop for nutrients and water help create the higher yields. Herbicide tolerance can be seen as one way to minimize environmental degradation through reduced soil erosion.

With effective means to control corn borers and weeds with minimal disruption of the soil surface, the genetically modified corn hybrids were enthusiastically adopted by corn farmers. Within a span of seven years, despite the higher costs of genetically modified hybrid corn seeds, by 2009 about one fourth of the Philippine corn crop, or about 400,000 hectares, was planted with these new seeds. The adoption rate of these genetically improved seeds is considered rapid in the realm of agricultural practices.

Through increased productivity per unit area of land, the two genetic traits introduced thus far on corn herald the way for fostering sustainable food security through better science. Bereft of increased productivity, with a burgeoning population, we would be forced to convert the few million hectares of forests remaining to produce more food. Validated technologies such as these which have been embraced by a growing number of progressive farmers are likely to be integrated into our arsenal of farm practices for sustainable productivity and development.

The enthusiastic reception of the genetically modified corn seeds can be traced to the increased net profit accruing to farmers who utilized the technology. In the barangay of Anao, Mexico, Pampanga, virtually all farmers who plant corn presently use genetically modified corn seeds. Seeing corn farmers doing well, some farmers who previously planted other crops shifted to planting corn. A lady farmer from Pangasinan, who used to be an OFW, got on the genetically modified corn bandwagon. She parlayed her involvement with this new technology to financial success. She is an example, par excellence, of a farmer who skillfully used this new technology.

There are no universal panaceas. Not all corn farmers profited from planting genetically modified corn. Tending a crop from planting to harvest involves many factors. The quality of seeds is but one of these. Thus, dearth of water, too much water, destructively high wind velocities, soil exhausted of sufficient nutrients for optimal growth and rise of other problems in growing corn such as plant diseases, lead to poor harvests even when genetically modified corn seeds are planted. The losses of farmers who plant genetically modified corn seeds are greater because those seeds cost more.

Sometimes added to farmer woes are high interest rates charged by money lenders, including banks. Although government banks with a mandate to help finance farming operations initially provide low interest rates, generally by the time farm credit is provided to the final banking outlet, the actual interest rates paid by farmers hover at around 19 to 20%. Particularly in the case of farmers who have but small land holdings and not enough resources to tide them over hard times, a poor harvest can create major difficulty. That said, in fairness, bad outcomes upon planting genetically modified seeds should be compared with similar hybrids without genetic modification to validate the conclusions before nilly-willy assigning blame solely to genetic modification.

Some safety issues have been raised regarding ingestion of Bt corn. The safety issue is paramount in the list of must-haves by seed developers. Most of the Bt toxins which are lethal to corn borers are quickly degraded in the highly acidic milieu (pH 1.2) of the human gut. The use of the sole Bt toxin which remains whole after longer exposure to pH 1.2 is scrupulously avoided. Feeding trials using Bt corn and its equivalent non-Bt hybrid are in statistical equivalence. Older scientists recall that intactBacillus thuringesis have been utilized as far back as seventy years ago to control larvae and continue to be so used with no apparent ill effects on those who consumed the plant parts so treated. An Indian visitor was recently quoted as saying that it would take 20 years for any health effects to be detected. This raises the question about the basis for the twenty years quoted. Was 20 years quoted as the magic number with no rationale? Why is fifteen years not sufficient? Why not go for thirty years?

Another issue regarding genetic modification is about creation of “super weeds”. While it has been observed that Bt corn plants have grown in places where they have been inadvertently dropped, these “volunteer” corn plants are not likely to multiply and cover the landscape. Virtually all industrial crops have to be lavished with care in order to grow to maturity. No genetically modified farm crop has been reported to have taken over substantial areas to pose risks as “super weeds”.

There has been resistance to buying seeds from suppliers year after year. Why not simply plant the best seeds from a harvest? Plant breeders are quick to inform laymen that by their nature hybrids do not produce seeds which mimic the traits of their parents. When I planted the best looking seeds from my first harvest of Bt corn, true enough, none of the second generation plants were nowhere as good as their parent seeds.

Genetically Modified plants likely to be introduced within the next five years
An important component of food security is food quality. In addition to meeting daily caloric intake, nutrients for optimal growth and health must be provided. Increased crop yields address the total caloric intake requirement. Other measures are needed to address food quality.

In comparison with the diet of the more well-fed peoples of the world, the Philippine diet suffers in terms of protein content. Since the Philippine diet leans heavily on rice and corn, the fish, vegetable and meat added to the aforementioned cereals, in general, do not adequately meet the optimal total protein requirement. Philippine agriculture must produce more feed cereals, principally corn, which constitute a huge percentage of swine, poultry and fish feeds. Hopefully. as our country efficiently produces more animal feed crops, in time such a happy event would come to pass.

Development of foodstuff with better quality has started. Research and development (R&D) of a genetically modified plant with a built-in desirable quality, Golden Rice, has been ongoing for a decade. An international consortium, headquartered at the International Rice Research Institute, expects to produce high yielding Golden Rice varieties compatible with local growing condition. Golden Rice has been modified to produce beta-carotene, the precursor to vitamin A, the vitamin needed to prevent blindness. While it is true that Vitamin A can be obtained from carrots and other foods, it is similarly true that many rice eaters do not routinely partake of a sufficient variety of foodstuff to ensure the uptake of the daily recommended requirement of Vitamin A. Golden Rice, therefore, provides an alternative means to minimize blindness.

Vegetables are components of a healthy diet. Since the Philippines is situated in the tropics, it breeds a tremendous diversity of organisms. It is a given that in the Darwinian imperative to survive organisms compete for survival. Insects, viruses, bacteria and plants compete with one another to survive and multiply. To a moth or a butterlfly, any plant that nourishes larvae is consumed. To ensure a good harvest, vegetable growers use available means to hold back the attack of pests. In the case of eggplants, growers find that spraying with pesticides is a facile, cost effective way to obtain a good harvest. Eggplant fruit and shoot borers are not easily eliminated. Pesticide spraying needs to be repeated many times to eliminate the steady stream of new borers. To optimize the marketable harvest, when the eggplants reach a certain size, some farmers dip them in insecticidal solutions. This practice raises health concerns. To minimize possible ill effects on health, many vegetable farmers do not
consume their own vegetable produce which has been exposed to pesticides.

Following the path created by Bt corn, local scientists teamed up with scientists abroad to create local varieties of eggplant which are resistant to fruit and stem borers. Field trials held in selected areas successfully showed that the technology developed does control borers.

Bt eggplant and Golden Rice lead in our march for improved food security.

Genetically Modified Organisms likely to be introduced within the next ten years
The Department of Agriculture and the Department of Science and Technology continue to coordinate to provide better means to ensure food security. R&D projects in varying stages of completion are being performed on the following:

Food crops – corn, papaya, sweet potato and banana

Commercial production of improved versions of these plants depends upon evidence of successful inclusion of the desired traits and adherence to all requirements of regulatory agencies. To meet needs for oversight, the Philippines has created an excellent regulatory system.

Improved Farm Output using biotechnological tools without creation of GMOs

Food Crops – Rice, coconut

Animals – water buffaloes, shrimps, tilapia and milkfish (bangus)

Algae

Techniques made possible by biotechnology and adjunct technologies but without creating genetically modified organisms (GMOs) help drive these ongoing programs.

Other Potential Uses of Biotechnology
Not contributing directly to food security but a means to alleviate poverty and thereby minimize hunger via increased production is R&D on abaca. The Philippines produces about 80% of the abaca in the world market. Improvement of this crop with biotechnology will help ensure Philippine dominance in this specialty market.

Largely untapped are utility of biotechnology in the health and energy sectors. Health improvements await development of vaccines and utilization of the many life forms in the diverse Philippine ecosystem. Better energy security awaits development of improved means to capture and utilize in stable forms the solar energy with which the Philippines is abundantly blessed. Biomass most of which is simply lost can potentially be converted into usable energy forms. Better means other than the chlorophyll based capture of solar energy must be found.

Take Home Messages
As shown by our experience with Bt corn, biotechnology has proven to be a very useful tool in the drive for food security. Being a relatively early adopter of genetically modified organisms with insect pest and herbicide resistance, we have reaped improved production through commercial planting of Bt corn. A concomitant advantage is improved health through reduced exposure to naturally generated toxins such as aflatoxin and man-made toxins presently used to control insect pests. Another advantage is more sustainable production through more efficient utilization of arable land, downgrading the need to convert more forests to agricultural use and minimization of soil erosion.

Gauged by the advanced stage to which they have brought Bt eggplant to the commercial stage, Philippine researchers have amply demonstrated capability to utilize biotechnology to improve food security. Progress achieved by dedicated Filipino scientists indicates that with continued support, their continuing R&D efforts on carefully selected projects will result in products which will benefit our country.

Biotechnology is a rapidly evolving science which has produced immense changes. In 2009, 134 million hectares were planted to genetically modified organisms. In the first decade of deployment, a large percentage of GMOs were planted in industrialized countries. By 2009, however, forty six percent of this acreage, or 61.5 million hectares was in developing countries. Growth curves suggest that within a few years, more GMOs will be planted in developing countries than in industrialized countries. Twenty six countries now have substantial stands of GMOs. Since safe and responsible use of biotechnology takes considerable time, skills and resources, taking to the commercial stage the crops, animals and microorganisms that we have targeted requires continued cooperation and coordination with as many stakeholders from all over the world as possible.

Through demonstrated competence and coordinated actions, the Department of Agriculture and Department of Science and Technology have championed the fledgling science of biotechnology to the cusp of prominence on the world stage and more importantly, to finding solutions to pressing Philippine needs. With expanded cooperation with other government agencies, the private sector and academe, biotechnology will become a proud underpinning of national progress.

Not even the poorest of the poor need to live “lives of quiet desperation” with no glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel. Better times lie ahead. Dedicated scientists, change agents who people some of our government agencies and enlightened private citizens will continue to do their part to brighten that light at the end of the tunnel. We start with seeds. Who knows what else will follow?

The author is a Balik-Scientist who is committed to helping find solutions. He obtained his education in public school systems. These are Mexico Elementary School, Pampanga High School, The University of the Philippines, Los Banos and Purdue University.

[This article will be the cover story of the magazine Biolife scheduled for release next month. The author is a balik-scientist from the U.S. and retired head of research of United Laboratories in the Philippines, who is currently working on the networking of biotechnology scientists in Southeast Asia. He is co-founder of the Biotechnology Society of the Philippines.