PH Agribusiness Reps Discuss Role of Biotech in Food Security

Key players from the Philippine agribusiness and biotechnology sectors gathered for a meeting at the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) Philippines to tackle biotechnology. The event, titled From Farm to Table: A Look into Biotech Crops' Role in Food Security, aimed to enhance awareness and understanding of genetic modification, encourage technological development, and promote science-based policy discussions. Over 30 participants joined the meeting held on October 4, 2024 at the AmCham Robert Sears Hall in Makati City.

ISAAA Program Officer II Ms. Kristine Grace N. Tome served as the distinguished speaker at the event and discussed the development, trends, and applications of biotechnology. “To produce food in a sustainable way, a business-as-usual approach is not enough. To meet the challenges in agriculture and food, science and the application of biotechnologies are necessary,” Ms. Tome stressed.

Reactors from various fields were also invited to speak at the event, including Dr. Gabriel Romero from the Philippine Seed Industry Association, Mr. Adriel Dave Alvarez from the Global Farmer Network, Dr. Lourdes Taylo from the Institute of Plant Breeding of UP Los Baños, and Ms. Holy Grace Encarnacion from the Philippine Association for Food Millers. Regulators, developers, and academics were also present in the meeting to address the inquiries of the AmCham Agribusiness Committee members.

Mr. Chris Ilagan, AmCham Philippines Agribusiness Committee Chair, moderated the discussions and expressed their committee's intent to further advance the discussions on biotechnology, highlighting the role of innovation in addressing food security challenges.

For more details, send an email to knowledge.center@isaaa.org.