Farmers from Asia speak for the growing 13 million farmers planting biotech crops worldwide on how modern biotechnology transformed their lives and helped them become better stewards of their farm lands.

Recently, biotech farmers from eight Asian countries gathered in the Philippines through the Pan-Asia Farmers Exchange 2009 organized by the CropLife Asia, a regional unit of CropLife International representing the plant science industry. The farmers were briefed by agri-biotech experts on the advantage of using genetically modified crops in beating global challenges in food, feed, fuel and fiber security. “Farmers are the biggest beneficiaries of the Bt and GM technologies”, said Dr. Saturnina Halos, Chairperson for the Biotechnology Advisory Team of the Department of Agriculture (BAT-DA) . The farmers exchange program was culminated with visits to biotech corn farms in the highlands of Quirino province. “I will relay to my fellow farmers what is good and bad about GM crops because GM is very important to humanity”, said Supat Cherdsang, a farmer leader from Thailand.

Likewise, in a biotech workshop of Asian Farmers Regional Network (ASFARNET) – Philippines, Rosalie Ellasus, a corn farmer from Pangasinan, shared how she maximizes yields through biotechnology using Bt corn. “With a 3.5-metric ton(MT) yield from conventional corn in 2003, now I am harvesting 7.3 MT with Bt corn. I am also planting stack-trait corn that yields 9.2 MT”, said Rosalie, who is also acclaimed as Ambassadress of Biotechnology in Asia. On the other hand, Delson Sonza revealed how the barren hilly lands of Sara, Iloilo were transformed into productive biotech corn fields. “Biotechnology uplifted the lives of Ilonggos by using glyphosate-tolerant corn and applying zero tillage technology in corn farming”, said Delson. Edwin Paraluman, who gained 8 MT of Bt corn yields from his farm in General Santos City, recommended that, “Government should not only allocate subsidy in seeds, but also in fertilizers, for the farmers are spending much from this farm input”. As support to biotechnology, the farmers signed a declaration stating that biotechnology offers solutions in alleviating agricultural problems and enhances sustainable agriculture. The declaration can be viewed at http://www.bic.searca.org/docs/ASFARNET_Declaration.pdf.

For more information, please contact:

Ms. Jenny A. Panopio
Special Project Coordinator & Network Administrator
Biotechnology Information Center
SEAMEO SEARCA
College, Laguna 4031
Email: jap at agri.searca.org
Tel: (63-49)536-2290 loc 169 or 406
Tele/Fax: (63-49)536-4105
URL: www.bic.searca.org