Manila, The Philippines
September 11, 2007
Most consumers are likely to
accept the country's genetically modified (GM) rice, which is
expected to be commercially available by 2011, a recent study
conducted by the Philippine
Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) and Strive Foundation
showed.
Citing the study, Director Alicia Ilaga of the
Department of Agriculture
Biotechnology Program Office (DA-BPO) said more farmers are
eager to try the new rice variety in the hope of reducing cost
and losses brought about by pests.
Buoyed by these findings, Ilaga said she would commit funding
for research and development (R&D) on rice biotechnology.
The ex-ante impact assessment of GM rice covered close to 1,000
farmers and consumers randomly chosen in Isabela, Nueva Ecija,
Iloilo, Davao del Sur and Davao del Norte.
Majority of those polled said they are willing to plant, buy and
sell GM rice.
Between 30 percent and 33 percent of the respondents were aware
of rice biotechnology and genetic engineering, while 17 percent
of all respondents heard about genetically modified organisms
(GMOs).
Among the respondents, urban consumers had the highest level of
awareness on GMO, GE and rice biotechnology compared to rural
consumers and farmers. The same survey showed that 15 percent of
respondents have heard about the potential risks and benefits of
biotechnology.
Majority of respondents accept GMO rice in general (63 percent),
GM pest resistance rice (64 percent) and biofortified rice (69
percent). Only five percent of the respondents do not accept GM
rice.
Fifty-eight percent of the respondents said they were willing to
plant, buy and sell while nine percent said they were not
willing to do the same. Thirty-two percent of the respondents
gave a conditional yes.
For Vitamin A and Iron-enriched GM rice varieties, the
willingness to plant and buy was generally the same figure-- 66
percent indicated their willingness, eight percent were not
willing and 26 percent expressed conditional willingness
For Vitamin A, slightly above 20 percent of respondents are not
willing to pay a higher price for GM rice.
However, between 49 percent and 55 percent of the respondents
said they were willing to pay up to 10 percent increase in the
price of GM Vitamin A rice.
Majority (85%) of the respondents expressed their desire to know
more about rice biotechnology through radio, television and
newspapers.
In the ongoing research project of PhilRice, the "3-in-1" rice
funded by the DA BPO is gaining headway. Experts believe that by
2011, the first GM rice in the Philippines will pass all
regulatory requirements for its much-awaited commercial release.
Philrice's breeding quest for the "3-in-1" rice requires the
transfer not only the beta carotene biosynthesis into the grains
of local varieties but the genes for tungro resistance and
bacterial blight resistance through conventional breeding
technique.
The "3-in-1 rice" is also considered a genetically
modified-derived (GM-derived) rice because Golden Rice, as one
of its parents, is the result of genetic engineering that
involved the deliberate artificial introduction of foreign genes
from other plant species that enabled Golden Rice to produce
beta carotene in the grain.
The "3-in-1 rice" is the first of its kind because it will be
"stacked" with a combination of traits that will produce direct
benefits to producers and consumers alike.
In essence, it is being bred to contain the characteristics of
the first and second generation GM crops.
The first generation GM crops (those with agronomic traits like
insect-resistant and herbicide-tolerant plants) sought to
increase producer profitability through cost reductions or
higher yields, while the second generation GM crops - such as
the Golden Rice - are expected to contain higher level of
micronutrients, thereby boosting the health of a rice-dependent
population.
"The expected benefits from the '3-in-1 rice' technology
outweigh its investment and development costs," so says the
study's basic hypothesis. |
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