Crop Biotechnology in the Philippines –Potent Tool to Help Improve

Food Security

Randy A. Hautea, ISAAA November 15, 2011 Kathmandu, Nepal

Global hunger declining but still unacceptably high, FAO 2011

A Food Insecure World

Food Insecurity in the Philippines

Dimensions of Food Security

Food Availability Access Stability

Slide: Adapted from Tan Siang Hee, 2011

Utilization

Greenhouse Gas Emissions 17.7 b Kg less CO2 in 2009

Equal to removing 7.8 m cars for a year

Pesticide Reduction 393 m Kg (-8.7%) reduction since 2009

Economic Return $ 10.8 B net farmer income in 2009

$ 64.7 B net farmer income 1996-2009

Productivity 83.5 M MT Soy, 130.5 M MT Corn (2006-2010)

GLOBAL BENEFITS ECONOMIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL

Sustainable, profitable and productive agriculture continues to be boosted by the contribution of biotech crops. G. Brooks, 13 April 2011 Slide: Tan Siang Hee, 2011)

Biotechnology: Priority Field for Country’s Development

• Agriculture

• Environment

• Alternative Energy

• Health and Health Products

Philippine Biotechnology Policy Initiatives/Support

• 1979- President Ferdinand Marcos. Creation of the National Institutes of Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology at the University of the Philippines Los Banos- Became the National Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology

• 1990- President Corazon Aquino. Executive Order No. 430- Establishment of the National Committee on Biosafety of the Philippines

• 1996- President Fidel Ramos. National Agricultural Biotechnology Program and Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Act

Philippine Biotechnology Policy Initiatives/Support

• 2000- President Joseph Estrada. National Policy Statement of Support for Agricultural Biotechnology

• 2001- President Gloria Arroyo. National Policy on the Safe and Responsible Use of Biotechnology.

• 2006- President Gloria Arroyo. Executive Order No. 514- National Biosafety Framework

Biosafety Regulatory Framework

• The National Committee on Biosafety of the Philippines (October 15, 1990) - created thru Executive Order No. 430. NCBP formulates, reviews and amends national policy on biosafety and formulate guidelines on the conduct of activities on genetic engineering.

• Department of Agriculture Administrative Order No. 8 (2002) - Basis for the commercial release of biotech crops.

• Executive Order 514 (March 17, 2006) - issued to further strengthen the NCBP and establish the National Biosafety Framework.

Strengthening National Capacity on Biotechnology

• Capacity building for regulatory and scientific bodies

• Extensive multi-media and multi-stakeholder outreach and communications – farming groups, national and local government agencies, policymakers, consumers, general public, media, scientific community, food industry, students, others

• Capacity building for communicating biotechnology – risk communication, information resource centers

• Network and coalition building

Philippine Crop Biotechnology

• 1st country in SEAsia to establish a regulatory system for GM/biotech crops

• The sole country in SEAsia currently commercializing GM/biotech crops

• The only Asian country allowing for propagation of biotech feed/food crop

• 1st country in SEAsia to be included in the top 15 biotech mega-countries

• National biosafety policy considered as model framework to other countries

GM/Biotech Events Approved in the Philippines (BPI, 2011)

• Single Trait for Propagation – Mon 810 - 2002/2007 – NK 603 – 2005/2010 – Bt 11 – 2005/2010 – GA 21 – 2009 – Mon 89034 – 2010

• Combined trait products for corn propagation – Mon 810 x NK 603 – 2005/2010 – Bt 11 x GA 21 – 2010 – Mon 89034 x NK603 - 2011

• For direct food, feed use and processing – >50 Approvals for crops such as alfalfa, corn, cotton, sugar beet, potato, soybean and

squash

Source: www.biotech.da.gov.ph

Biotech corn adoption in Philippine Island groups (2003-2010, BPI)

0

100,000

200,000

300,000

400,000

500,000

600,000

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

Mindanao

Visayas

Luzon

Biotech corn adoption in the Philippines, by trait (2003-2010, BPI)

0

100000

200000

300000

400000

500000

600000

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

Stacked

Ht

Bt

Corn Production in the Philippines 2000-2009

-

1,000,000

2,000,000

3,000,000

4,000,000

5,000,000

6,000,000

7,000,000

8,000,000

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

Year

hect

ares

| m

etric

tons

-

0.500

1.000

1.500

2.000

2.500

3.000

Yiel

d (to

ns p

er h

ecta

re)

Area (hectares)

Total Production (metric tons)

Yield (ton per hectare)

Biotech Corn Adoption

Source: BAS, DA, 2010; compiled by ISAAA

Realizing Benefits in Farmers’ Field

Estimated number of biotech corn farmers in the Philippines, 2006-2009. (James, 2006-2010)

100,000

125,000

175,000

250,000

270,000

0

50,000

100,000

150,000

200,000

250,000

300,000

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

Lower production costs • 60 percent reduction in pesticide use (Yorobe and Quicoy, 2006) • Lower labor costs associated with weeding and spraying

Higher yields harvested • Projected to have a yield advantage of up to 41 percent over non-Bt corn

(Gonzales, 2002, as cited by Yorobe and Quicoy, 2006) • Bt corn has 34 percent more harvests than non-Bt (Yorobe and Quicoy, 2006)

Safer environment • No negative effect on insect population in Bt corn fields (Reyes, 2004) • Increase in the population of beneficial insects (i.e. beetles, spiders, ladybugs)

(Javier et al., 2004, as cited by James, 2009)

Crop Biotech Benefits to the Philippines

Additional profit/Income advantages per hectare from Bt maize adoption, based on various studies

Authors Additional profit/Income advantage

Gonzales, 2005, as cited by James, 2008

Dry season: Php 7,482 or $135 Wet season: Php 7,080 or $125

Yorobe and Quicoy, 2006

Php 10,132 or about $218

Gonzales, 2007 Income advantage during dry season: 20-48% Income advantage during wet season: 5-14%

Gonzales, 2009 Income advantage during dry season: 1-75% Income advantage during wet season: 3-75%

Crop Biotech Benefits to the Philippines

Farm level aggregate economic benefits of planting biotech maize

• US $ 108 Million (2003-2009) (Brooks and Barfoot, 2011)

Net National Impact of biotech maize on farm income

• US$ 35 Million (2009) (Brooks and Barfoot, 2011)

Crop Biotech Benefits to the Philippines

Most Advanced Public Sector Biotech R&D

Non-Bt Bt

Non-Bt Bt

Insect resistant eggplant- multi-location field trial Pro-vitamin A enriched

rice – confined field trial

Potential Impacts: >Increase yields >Reduce pesticide use and production cost >Increase farmers’ income >Positive impact to farmer’s health and environment

Most Advanced Public Sector Biotech R&D Virus resistant, delayed ripening papaya – contained trial

Virus resistant sweet potato – contained trial

Insect resistant cotton -contained trial

In Summary, Crop Biotech Benefits to the Philippines

• Economic Benefits – productivity, farm income, production efficiency

• Environmental Benefits – pesticide reduction, farm ecology

• Social Benefits – poverty alleviation, other social welfare benefits

• Trade in agricultural products – especially for key imports

Contributing to Increased Food Security