Battleground sizzles over GM crops

THE battleground for a protracted war heats up as Department of Agriculture (DA) stood firm in its decision to allow science-based assessment and experiments of any genetically modified (GM) crop in the country despite vehement opposition by environmental groups—particularly Greenpeace.

Dr. Clarito Barron, DA-Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) director, said that “there is no turning back” for science-based assessments of GM crops, stressing that they are mandated by Administrative Order No. 8 to authorize the holding of such exercises.

“While Greenpeace may be against these trials, many stakeholders support such trials,” Barron reporters at the sidelines of the 27th session of the Asia-Pacific Plant Protection Commission (APPPC).

Greenpeace has been urging Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala to scrap the experiments and field trials of Bt eggplants, arguing that the tests were being conducted only to determine the propriety of cultivating the vegetable under Philippine soil conditions and not to find out if it is safe for humans.

In February, the group staged a raid on a Bt eggplant trial site at the University of the Philippines at Los Banos (UPLB) and uprooted eggplants that were mostly of traditional varieties.

But two leading biotechnologists of the DA said that Greenpeace has exceeded its bounds by demanding that government scrap all field trials for Bt eggplant and imposing its thinking on 100 million Filipinos that any GM crop is “evil” and “subverts nature.”

Dr. Candida Adalla, chief of the DA Biotechnology Implementing Unit (BIU), said it is strange why Greenpeace is opposed to the conduct of field trials of Bt egg-plant and would want Alcala to simply end such experiments without any compelling evidence that Bt eggplant harms the environment and should not be the subject of scientific inquiry.

“The field trials are compliant with all government requirements and it is crystal clear that the BPI had set the guidelines for the field trial in accordance with AO No. 8 of the DA,” she said.

Contrary to Greenpeace claims, India has not banned Bt eggplant, which has been approved by seven Indian research institutions for commercialization in spite of the feverish attempt of the group to block its cultivation.

Adalla said AO 8 requires that GM crops be tested for environmental safety and also for human consumption and this belies the claim of Greenpeace at the outset.

“In fairness to Secretary Alcala, he has left no stone unturned in terms of ensuring the safety of genetically modified plants, especially Bt eggplant. Kaya pinayagan ang tests, to make sure that they are safe,” she explained.

“The crop has not been released. We are still studying the impact on the environment, what they claim to be contamination. All of these are only at the level of field evaluation,” Adalla said.

Dr. Saturnina Halos, chief of the DA-Biotechnology Advisory Team (DA-BAT) said “it is unfortunate that Greenpeace has lost its sight on its original advocacy for clean environment. Instead Greenpeace is focusing on demonizing GMOs.” She noted that If Greenpeace goes back to its original advocacy for clean environment and accepts verifiable scientific studies, it will surely realize that GM crops are good for the environment and maybe even advocate their planting.”

Halos also criticized the methods of Greenpeace and how it has employed questionable “scientific” studies to prop up its anti-GMO stance.

“Instead of admitting that in the last 15 years of GM crop existence, when no verifiable food safety issue has arisen, Greenpeace paid for and gathered dubious food safety studies on GM food,” Halos said.

“Our own scientists and those of other countries have found these Greenpeace food safety studies scientifically flawed. Greenpeace also fails to recognize the continuing expansion of GM crop areas that now covers more than 150 million hectares planted by millions of farmers, majority of whom are small farmers in developing countries,” she added.

In the Philippines, more than 120,000 farmers are planting GM corn in more than 500,000 hectares. The recent scientific report says that the planting of GM crops is good for the environment since it reduces the need for pesticide.

Halos noted that between 1996 and 2009, GM cultivation has reduced pesticide spraying by 393 million kilos.

“On the whole, GM crops have significantly reduced carbon emissions thus help mitigate climate change. In 2009, this reduction in carbon emissions by GM crops was estimated to be equivalent to removing 17.7 billion kg of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere or equal to removing 7.8 million cars from the road for one year,” Halos concluded. –JAMES KONSTANTIN GALVEZ REPORTER, Manila Times