Biotechnology Center Won't Ensure Food Security!

Press Release by RESISTANCE AND SOLIDARITY AGAINST AGROCHEM TNCs (RESIST Network)
28 November 2008

Reference:
Rep. Rafael Mariano, +639-209507361
Dr. Chito Medina, +639-175442196

A Biotechnology Center is not enough to provide food for the people nor will it boost the country's science and technology if it will merely serve the giant transnational corporations' interests. This is the statement of RESIST network in response to the proposed establishment of a biotechnology center.

At least fifty (50) participants from farmers, scientists, academe, legislators and church sector gathered together this morning at the North Wing Lobby, House of Representatives in Quezon City in a forum entitled "Pursuing Sustainable Agriculture through Genuine Agrarian Reform amid the Rice Crisis." The forum is sponsored by RESIST and the Office of Rep. Rafael Mariano (Anakpawis partylist). RESIST is a broad alliance of more than 50 organizations and institutions in the country opposing the control of agrochemical transnational corporations (TNCs) over the agriculture; promoting sustainable agriculture and advocates for genuine agrarian reform.

"The fact that the legislative agenda being pushed aims to give incentives to multinational companies does not bode well for our Filipino farmers," said Wilfredo Marbella, Internal Affairs Deputy Secretary-General of Kilusang Magbubukid nigh Pilipinas (KMP). "It will merely reinforce the TNCs' tight grip on agricultural technology which should be in the hands of the farmers."

"While it is paramount to strengthen the country's research and development (R & D) for better food production, it is also imperative that R&D serve the interests of the small-scale Filipino farmers who have already suffered from profit-driven technologies such as the hybrid rice and genetically modified organisms (GMOs)," said Dr. Gene Nisperos, Vice-chairperso of Health Alliance for Democracy (HEAD) and RESIST convenor.

GMOs otherwise referred to a modern biotechnology, is being pushed by the government as the means to achieve food security by increasing production. Genetically modified (GM) crops such as Bt-corn and Roundup Ready corn are touted as beneficial to the farmers as they have built-in toxins to supposedly fight pests that affect corn production. The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) meanwhile has been conducting research and contained field trials on GM rice which are supposed to have added nutrients such as Vitamin A and iron to combat malnutrition and Vitamin A deficiency.

"The government should support and implement farming systems that respond to the needs of the small-scale farmers if they are serious in their objective in achieving food security," said Dr. Chito Medina, environmental scientist and national coordinator of Farmers and Scientist for Development of Agriculture (MASIPAG). "Modern biotechnology only creates dependence among the farmers on expensive seeds and puts their lives and the environment at risk. Sustainable agriculture on the other hand, has proven to be more successful in improving rice production."

Speaking at the forum Rep. Mariano and concurrent national chairperson of KMP said, "Poor farmers make up the majority of the agriculture sector. For food to be secured, farmers should take control of resources such as land to till and seeds to be planted. There is a food crisis because the government's policies fail to address the farmers' core problem of landlessness, monopoly on seeds and technology and so on and this cannot be solved by modern biotechnology.

The RESIST (Resistance and Solidarity against Agrochemical Transnational Corporations) reiterated its support for House Bill No. 3059 or the Genuine Agrarian Reform Bill (GARB) and for the House Bill No. 3958 or the Rice Industry Development Act (RIDA). Both bills are being sponsored by progressive partylist representatives from Anakpawis (Toiling Masses), Bayan Muna (People First) and Gabriela Women's Party.

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