R&D helps stabilize Philippine economy

Research and Development (R&D) has become a big plus factor in the stabilization of the country’s economy particularly the agriculture sector.

Had it not been for the agriculture R&D breakthroughs, the country’s economy would have been more in a bad shape, particularly since the population continues to grow at a high annual rate of 2.36 percent.

Here are dizzying statistics: Three Filipinos are born every minute, 193 in an hour, 4,624 in a day, and about 1.7 million a year. By year 2020 or earlier, there shall be more than 100 million Filipino mouths to feed.

Against the grim backdrop of the country’s exploding population, now past the 82 million mark, is the disturbing picture of vanishing resources – shrinking farmlands, wantonly destroyed forests, dead and heavily polluted rivers, dying lakes, disappearing coral reefs (only five percent are now healthy), and dwindling fisheries.

But R&D has considerably helped the country to stay afloat, even as it continues to race against time to meet the people’s basic food and related needs.

In rice, for instance, production has consistently increased over the years. Discouragingly, though, the headways achieved in the production of this cereal has steadily been outstripped by rapid population growth. Hence, the country has to resort to rice importation.

The industry’s dire situation is best exemplified by the case of Metro Manila, whose population constitutes about one-eighth of the national total. It does not produce a single grain of rice but consumes almost one-fifth of the country’s total harvest. And Metro Manilans are the most vocal when signs of rice shortage become eminent.

Distressingly, the Philippines is one of the highest rice consumers in the world – 103 kilograms per capita per year.

But the Department of Agriculture is optimistic that in the near future, if not this year, the country can become self-sufficient in rice because of among other things, technological breakthroughs, notably success in the breeding of high-yielding varieties (inbred) and hybrid rice, which is now being pushed hard through the government’s Hybrid Rice Commercialization Program.

Better times also await the corn industry, particularly now that the government has approved the commercialization of genetically modified Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) corn. Across the country today, many farmers are now gearing up to plant this high-yielding, Asian corn borer-resistance variety, notwithstanding the opposition of some groups, mostly "non-farmers."

The sugar industry is now back on its feet after a long period of bad times, thanks, again, to R&D and other programs pursued by the government and the private sector, notably the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) and the Philippine Sugar Research Institute Foundation, Inc. (Philsurin).

Research has also paved the way for the entry of the Philippine carabao mango to the United States and Australian markets. Key players in this success story were scientists and institutions that joined hands to neutralize a pest (fruit fly) that had for years stood as a roadblock to the local mango’s penetration into the huge US and Australian markets.

Significant breakthroughs likewise continue to be chalked up by the fisheries R&D sector in the development of much improved fish species.

Among those in the forefront of aquaculture R&D are the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), University of the Philippines in the Visayas (UPV), Central Luzon State University (CLSU), and Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center Aquaculture Department (SEAFDEC AQD) in Tigbauan, Iloilo.

To fast-track the transfer of aquaculture technologies, SEAFDEC AQD and BFAR are now implementing the Joint Mission for Accelerated Nationwide Technology Transfer Program (JMANTTP). Initially covering shrimp farming, the program subsequently diversified to milkfish, tilapia, group (lapu-lapu), mud crab, and seabass (apahap).

These are but among the positive developments in R&D in the country.

Fact is, the agriculture R&D system, as coordinated by the Los Baños-based Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCARRD), has evolved into one of the most viable and dynamic in Southeast Asia.

"Its network of R&D institutions, the National Agriculture and Resources Research and Development Network (NARRDN), has continued to generate world-class science-based technologies, information, and services toward better methods of production and management critical in improving agriculture and forestry productivity and quality," said PCARRD Executive Director Patricio S. Faylon.

In biotechnology, for instance, PCARRD and collaborating agencies have crafted the second phase of the Philippine Agriculture, Forestry Biotechnology Agenda (PAFBA II) (2002-2010).

Dr. Faylon reported that "the culmination of the program’s initialy phase has brought us closer to gene discovery in coconut with traits that of higher laurate content for oil production, a papaya with resistance to ringspot virus (PRSV) and with delayed ripening traits, and a tissue culture protocol for the world-acclaimed carabao mango."

Livestock biotechnology now focuses on developing dairy animals and water buffaloes, using reproductive biotechnique.

Dr. Faylon reported that the first embryo (fertilized egg)-transferred male offspring of a pure Holstein Friesian and a pure Sahiwal-cross dairy cattle was produced with one named "Doc Pat-ET", now being trained for semen production at the U.P. Los Baños-Dairy Training and Research Institute (DTRI).

PCARRD’s S&T Anchor Program, now on its second year, is concentrating on improving the quality of carabao mango for export to Hong Kong and China. Six regions in Mindanao have established modern packinghouses that will further boost the mango exports from southern Philippines.

The council has also launched information networks on swine, poultry, agriculture machinery, bamboo, mango, and agroforestry.

There are now 129 Farmers Information and Technology Service (FITS) centers where farmers can access information on crops they are interested in.

"But more than the number," Dr. Faylon emphasized, "it has been evident that local government units (LGUs) are becoming more and more involved in the establishment, management, and sustainability of the centers’ operation."

Morever, PCARRD is now finalizing its 2004-2010 corporate plan (CORPLAN) with the theme "securing food, fiber, and ecology for sustainable agriculture, forestry, and natural resources sector through S&T.

Dr. Faylon concluded: "In this country where agriculture, forestry and natural resources are major contributors to economic stability, the role of the S&T system proves very crucial. PCARRD reaffirms its commitment in facilitating the generation and promotion of world-class technologies, services, and information that will make Filipino farmers and industries competitive in the domestic and international markets."