International and Philippine-based research institutions and other stakeholders recently marked the two decades of use of Bt corn, or locally known as yellow corn, after its first commercial planting in the Philippines in 2003.
The Southeast Asian Regional for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) together with Bayer Crop Science in the Philippines led the "20 Years and Onward: Advancing the Future of Philippine Yellow Corn" Forum at a hotel in Makati City
More than 160 attendees from public and private sectors attended the forum onsite and online, including from the academe, industry, business chambers, farmer groups, nongovernmental organizations, and the government.
The forum looked back at key enabling policies as well as the situation of the genetically modified (GM) Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) corn across the value chain.
It also assessed the sector's opportunities, challenges, and competitiveness; and discussed key actions and recommendations on how to ensure its continuous advancement amid the pressures arising from people's consumption, supply chain issues, and the natural environment.
Director Gerald Glenn Panganiban of the Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Plant Industry (DA-BPI) highlighted in his message that the Philippines was among the first countries in Asia to adopt Bt corn and implement a regulatory framework on genetically engineered crops.
Policy as a solid ground
Dr. Abraham Manalo, executive director of the Biotechnology Coalition of the Philippines (BCP), in his examination of the 20-year journey of Bt corn, underlined the crucial role of policy in promoting the technology and supporting the growth of yellow corn over the years.
"Regulations should be stringent, science-based, but streamlined," Manalo said.
"There should also be other policies to back up these regulatory issuances to allow a policy environment that is evidence-based. Yellow corn stands on solid ground today because of our regulations. But our continued battle cry is for safe and responsible use of modern biotechnology," he added.,
Dr. Candido Damo of the DA-National Corn Program, in a video stream, shared that about 90 percent of yellow corn in the country is GM, noting that despite decreasing planting hectarage, yellow corn has significantly increased its yield over the years as farmers continued adopting the crop.
The government's interventions to boost the industry include capacity-building, providing large-scale postharvest machinery and facilities to farmer organizations, providing quality seed and fertilizers, strengthening linkages with the livestock and poultry racers, and connecting farmers directly to the market.
Ramon Abadilla, executive director of CropLife Philippines, added that the private sector's role is to ensure the quality and integrity of GM corn seeds by practicing strong stewardship, especially on farming, insect-resistance management, educating farmers on the proper use of their products, and gathering feedback from the market.
He also suggested that expanding the yellow corn value chain is an opportunity for farmers to have higher-value crops and convert corn not only for feeds but also for industry inputs, such as ethanol, hydrocarbon, and bioplastics.
Need for continued stewardship, regenerative future of biotech corn
The challenges and opportunities affecting the industry were likewise identified.
Dr. Gabriel Romero, executive director of Philippine Seed Industry Association (PSIA), emphasized that stewardship of seeds is critical in maintaining the integrity of their environmental traits and allowing farmers to continually access high-quality planting materials.
He pointed out that seed companies and technology developers should include farmers in the consultation process to ensure they deliver what the farmers need.
Dr. Analiza Ramirez, of the Institute of Weed Science, Entomology and Plant Pathology of the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB), for her part, said that stewardship should be a whole-of-nation approach to address the concerns on crop protection use.
Farmers are accountable for their crops; the government provides funding and policy support for the technology; and the academe and the industry partner to produce science-based innovations.
Meanwhile, Edwin Mapanao, president of the Philippine Association of Feed Millers Inc. (PAFMI), pointed out the importance of fostering partnerships among different stakeholders.
He suggested the need for strengthening the distribution network through consolidators and clustering so farmers can be easily linked to the industry.
Iiinas Lao, country commercial lead of Bayer Crop Science, said the future of corn farming is regenerative agriculture, which aims to increase productivity and income while renewing the environment.
Innovations such as Bayer's Preceon Smart Corn System, which includes short-stature corn and digital farm insights, and modern breeding techniques will enable this future.
Meanwhile, Adriel Dave "Farmer AD" Alvarez, a farmer-leader and biotech advocate from Cebu, said: "Along with smallholder farmers, an effective agriculture development agenda of mid-and upper-strata farmers should also be prioritized."
He also called for increased support for extension workers who will assist and train farmers and consolidators not only in farming and production but more on agribusiness, market, and linkages development.
"This is something we need in Philippine agriculture ecosystem. A vibrant yellow corn industry will happen if all stakeholders are getting their economic bottom line. Technology is maximized if farmers are able to access it and make profit out of their operations. Small-scale farming alone cannot do that," he adds.
SEARCA Director Dr. Glenn Gregorio reaffirmed the Center's support for the industry.
"The Center remains steadfastly committed to convening knowledge creation and utilization activities that guide the development of policy recommendations to sustain and advance the gains of agricultural innovations like yellow corn in an increasingly complex environment," he stated.
"The next chapter for the Philippine corn industry will need collective action, a multistakeholder approach to expand what we have experienced in the past twenty years," Gregorio added.
It was co-organized with the PSIA, UPLB Weed Science Society of the Philippines, BCP, National Corn Program, CropLife Asia and CropLife Philippines, PAFMI, and Philippines Partnership for Sustainable Agriculture.