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MOVING CLOSER TOWARDS AGRICULTURAL MODERNIZATION, posted at e-group on 07 Mar 2007
BIOLIFE Magazine November- December 2006 Issue
The Philippines is inching closer towards fuller agricultural modernization. With Agriculture secretary Arthur Yap at the helm, it is not surprising that 2007 will be another banner year.
Experts say the only way to increase farmers' incomes and reduce poverty incidence in the countryside is to modernize agriculture through modern biotechnology. Through this, farmers are assured of increased yields and reduced production costs, in accord with the thrust being vigorously pursued by the Department of Agriculture (DA).
Yap said biotechnology has always been an integral part of President Gloria Arroyo's 10-point agenda.
Holding on to the promised benefits of traditional and modern biotechnology to the agriculture sector, Yap said the DA will continue to support programs that would sustain the activities that were implemented over the past few years.
The DA played a major role in promoting the safe and responsible use of biotechnology.
Agriculture officials said 2006 was a fruitful year for agricultural modernization, noting the success of the implementation of various programs that promote the advances in biotechnology.
Over the years, the DA Biotech Program headed by Director Alicia Ilaga, popularized the application of biotechnology in research, development and extension.
It has promoted and supported technology development and commercialization of biotech products, and helped enhanced institutional capacity of concerned government agencies and research institutes. It has also embarked on policy research that paved the way for the formulation of sound regulatory system, which was supported by the pronouncement of President Arroyo.
STEPPING UP THE BIOTECH REVOLUTION
Agriculture undersecretaries for field operation Jose Emmanuel Paras and policy and planning Segfredo Serrano said this year, the DA will vigorously pursue programs and activities to keep pace with the 20th century "Biotech Revolution."
"We still believe that biotechnology holds a greater promise in the future not only for our country but for other countries as well. We still believe that biotech is the present and future of Philippine agriculture. It started as a buzzword and now has become an important aspect that countries strive harder to be competitive in," Paras said.
Paras said the DA has formulated a roadmap that would position the Philippine agriculture in the biotech century.
The 2006-2016 DA Biotechnology Roadmap, he said, specifically enumerated strategies in joining the biotech century revolution.
TARGETING WORLD MARKET FOR NATURAL INGREDIENTS
The DA, he said, will target the world market for natural ingredients with the application of traditional and modern biotechnology.
Creating a natural ingredient cluster of industries, he said, will be a key strategy to achieve this goal.
"The growing demand for natural ingredients in the world market is an opportunity for the Philippines," he said.
Paras said the growing demand for natural ingredients in the world market has opened a brand new world for farmers, entrepreneurs and technology developers in the Philippines.
He said taking this advantage would give the Philippines an edge in this province, because it is one of the most biologically diverse countries in the world.
"This biodiversity is huge resource that can be exploited to create new products and new industries to satisfy the growing demand for natural ingredients for food and medicine," he said.
Paras said a cluster of new industries would be established and promoted.
IMPROVING COMPETITIVENESS OF TRADITIONAL AGRI-FISHERIES PRODUCTS
Paras said the DA would also improve the competitiveness of traditional Philippine agri-fisheries products through the applications of bioprocessing to integrate whole crop processing for improved product recovery.
"The bioprocessing of natural ingredients sector constitutes the hub of the proposed Philippine natural ingredients industry cluster," he said.
According to Paras, the farming sector constitutes the spokes that, in turn, are supported by the bio-agri input industry.
"Bioprocesses using modern biotechnology have been developed by a local company to ensure that the quality plant extracts is acceptable in the world market. Technologies for medicinal plants production and micro-propagation have been developed by the University of the Philippines in Los Baños (UPLB) and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)," he added.
The technologies for bio-agri inputs such as compost, biofertilizers, biopesticides, bioenhancers are now available in the market.
Paras said integrated processing is a growing trend in the world to increase the value and competitiveness of traditional crops.
"All these industries will create new jobs, new money to fuel the rural economy, and new resources of revenue for the government," he said.
He said through biotechnology, the DA would promote technology development that will help increase the value of traditional crops, like rice, corn, coconut, abaca, and seaweeds.
Paras cited as an example palay, which is now processed in India, Japan and California to recover both the grain and the rice bran all using an enzyme. He said research and experience show that vitamins and pharmaceutical grade silica are also recoverable. Paras has added many products derived from coconut.
However, he said there is no processing plant that extracts all these products form the nut.
"Integrated processing is a growing trend in the world to increase the value and competitiveness of traditional crops," he said.
A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT
For his part, Serrano said the DA will continue to support research and development in collaboration with other government agencies and other funding institutions.
Serrano said the DA would also continue to allocate fund for projects that will help the Philippines realize its vision through modern biotechnology.
He said the DA, for instance, has allotted P25 million to augment the manpower capabilities of the DA Agricultural Biotech Center.
"We are moving forward and there are definitely bright prospects in biotechnology," Serrano said.
'PINOY GMOs'
The DA, he said, will continue to promote its on-going "Pinoy GMO" applied biotech research and development projects being funded and monitored under the DA Biotech Program.
These projects include the development of the Vitamin A Rice and Tissue Culture Rice Projects of the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice), the Bt Cotton Project under the Cotton Development Authority (CODA) and Abaca Biotechnology.
The projects are aimed at improving crop varieties resistant to current problems on pests, diseases and deficiencies.
Several institutional capacity strengthening projects related to biodiversity, environmental and food and feed safety of agri-biotechnologies and its products are being supported and monitored under the DA Biotech Program.
These include the conduct of modernization of biotech labs and validation of biotech-based methods for seed testing, variety identification and plant pathogen detection at the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI).
The biotech laboratories' capabilities are being enhanced for animal disease diagnosis, control, prevention and improved livestock production, and molecular-based detection and identification of pathogenic microorganisms in meat at the Bureau of Animal Industries (BAI) and the National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS).
FORGING, STRENGTHENING PARTNERSHIPS
According to Serrano, they are currently developing the Biotechnology Course for Local Government Units, which seeks to increase local officials' capabilities in initiating development innovations and partnership for local development through biotechnology.
"The Biotech Course for LGU will help make local officials appreciate biotechnology and its benefits. We are currently preparing the module designed for a community-based learning mode," he said.
According to Serrano, current programs such as the formation of formal partnership between the DA and various sectors, including the local government, barangays, private sector, academe, scientific community, farmers, farmers' organizations and non-government organizations (NGOs) in various parts of the country called Biotechnology Information and Organization Network (BIONet) and Biotechnology Commerce or BioCommerce are in the works.
BIONets support the advocacy on biotech by being the conduits of information on its economic opportunities. It is expected to become key drivers of investments cooperation, for the benefit of the local agri-fisheries sector.
BIONets have been established in Bulacan, Mindoro, Caraga, and Marawi City.
A Biotechnology Business Cooperation Papain Consortium has been created through the assistance of the DA BIONet-which is expected to boost export of papain coming from the Philippines.
Presently, the DA is also facilitating the formation of BIONet in Cebu, Iloilo, Antique, Davao, Lanao del Norte, and Nueva Vizcaya.
A NATIONAL GOAL
"In my experience, field operations are always a challenge. The most challenging job is how to strike a balance among various interests of various sectors at the field. But we believe that with good relationship, balanced negotiation and right incentive, this can be addressed," Paras said.
Paras said there is a need to strengthen the DA's monitoring system to ensure that what is being done in the field is consistent with the national goals-which is to improve the lives of the Filipino people, in general.
"This is also a challenge for us at the main office. And I think the major challenge for us Filipinos will also be our greatest weapon in this biotech century-to have the right attitude towards change, biotech revolution, and national development, " he said.
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3/13/2007, 3:34 pm
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searcabic
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Re: MOVING CLOSER TOWARDS AGRICULTURAL MODERNIZATION, posted at e-group on 07 Mar 2007
From: Crispin.Francisco@usda.gov [mailto:Crispin.Francisco@usda.gov]
Sent: Wednesday, 7 March 2007 9:57 PM
To: 'bic@searcaweb.org%inter2'
Subject: RE: [searcabic] NEWS FEATURE: Moving Closer TowardsAgricultural
Modernization
Good news, I'm happy.
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3/13/2007, 3:35 pm
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searcabic
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Re: MOVING CLOSER TOWARDS AGRICULTURAL MODERNIZATION, posted at e-group on 07 Mar 2007
Dear Sir/madam:
Thank you for the information you have been providing us. We are sending some of them to our members as applicable. We hope to continue receiving similar materials.
Very truly yours,
Ma. Flordeliza C. Leong
Manager
Promotions Services Advocacy and Communications Depts.
Philippine Exporters Confederation, Inc. (PHILEXPORT)
ITC Complex, Roxas Blvd., Pasay City
Tel: (632) 833-2531 to 34
Fax: (632) 831-3707
E-mail: communications@philexport.ph
URL: www.philexport.ph
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3/13/2007, 3:36 pm
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