“Biotechnology’s Contributions to Increased Philippine Food Security”, presented by Randy Hautea, Global Coordinator, ISAAA at the ReSAKSS-Asia Conference, Nov 14-16, 2011, in Kathmandu, Nepal.

1. Crop Biotechnology
in the Philippines –
Potent Tool to Help Improve
Food Security
Randy A. Hautea, ISAAA
November 15, 2011
Kathmandu, Nepal

2. Global hunger
declining but still
unacceptably
high, FAO 2011
A Food Insecure
World

3. Food Insecurity in the Philippines

4. Dimensions of Food Security
Food
Availability Access
Stability
Slide: Adapted from Tan Siang Hee, 2011
Utilization

6. 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)

7. Biotechnology: Priority Field for Country’s Development
• Agriculture
• Environment
• Alternative Energy
• Health and Health
Products

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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.

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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

14. 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

15. 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

16. 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
hectares|metrictons
-
0.500
1.000
1.500
2.000
2.500
3.000
Yield(tonsperhectare)
Area (hectares)
Total Production
(metric tons)
Yield (ton per
hectare)
Biotech Corn Adoption
Source: BAS, DA, 2010; compiled by ISAAA

17. 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

18. 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

19. 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

20. 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

21. 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

22. 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

23. 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