Asian Farmers Speak, Back Biotech

Farmers from Asia speak for the 13 million farmers planting biotech crops worldwide on how modern biotechnology transformed their lives and helped them become better stewards of their farm lands. Biotech farmers from eight Asian countries gathered in the Philippines through the Pan-Asia Farmers Exchange 2009 organized by CropLife Asia, a regional unit of CropLife International representing the plant science industry. The farmers were briefed by agri-biotech experts on the advantage of genetically modified crops in beating global challenges in food, feed, fuel and fiber security.

"Farmers are the biggest beneficiaries of the Bt and GM technologies", said Dr. Saturnina Halos, chair of the biotechnology advisory team of the Department of Agriculture. The farmer exchange program culminated with visits to biotech corn farms in the highlands of Quirino province. "I will relay to my fellow farmers what is good and bad about GM crops because GM is very important to humanity", said Supat Cherdsang, a farmer leader from Thailand.

For more updates on agri-biotechnology in the Philippines, visit http://www.bic.searca.org or email bic@agri.searca.org.