Support for biotech crop research cited

MANILA, Philippines - One of the country’s leading scientist-educators recently lauded the strong support given by the academic and science communities to research on agricultural biotechnology.

Dr. Emil Javier, former president of the University of the Philippines (UP) System and former chancellor of UP-Los Baños, said the support is crucial in the face of “organized opposition” to on-going field trials of crop varieties developed through biotechnology.

Javier cited the support of the UP-Los Baños community, the University of Southern Mindanao (USM), the National Academy of Science and Technology, and other mainstream science communities in the Philippines and abroad.

Javier lauded the support in the face of an ongoing campaign against genetically-engineered crops in the country led by Europe-based militant group Greenpeace. Greenpeace has led a 2011 raid on a government-run trial farm in Los Baños, Laguna. A similar raid was done recently by local groups identified with Greenpeace on an experimental farm in Bicol.

Javier earlier explained that research on the application of modern biotechnology in agriculture aims to develop crop varieties that require minimal or zero use of chemical pesticides. Biotechnology enables scientists to develop plants that have built-in resistance against pests and bores.

The reduced reliance on and use of chemicals is good for the environment, people’s health and the well-being of farmers, Javier pointed out.

Former UPLB chancellor Rex David, a renowned environmental scientist, affirmed the support of the university for the research work, saying this is “consistent with our non-negotiable core values of ecological balance and environmental protection.

David urged groups opposing the scientific research on biotech crops not to engage in the destruction of the trial farms. He said such activities “result in the loss of valuable scientific data.”

“We respect the rights and opinions of other groups, and we expect them to accord the same respect and recognition for the academic freedom of UPLB,” Cruz said.

Meanwhile, the University of Southern Mindanao in South Cotabato said it is conducting its own scientific research on the use of biotechnology in agriculture. USM officials said the research is being done “with strict compliance to the rules and standards of biosafety”.

USM officials also said the university “accepted the challenge of conducting field trials of biotech crops to avoid the big mistake committed by those who condemn agricultural biotechnology on the basis of hearsay and baseless generalizations”.