Farmers’ Narratives: Stories of How Biotech Corn Uplifted the Lives of Filipino Farmers
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The introduction of biotech corn has marked a significant milestone in the agricultural sector of the Philippines. Biotech corn transformed the lives of many Filipino farmers since it was approved for commercialization in 2002. Since then, more than 673,000 farmers, cultivating more than 875,000 hectares of land, have been benefitting from the technology with yields amounting to US$ 872.6 million from 2003 to 2018.
ISAAA Inc., in collaboration with Philippine Agriculture and Fisheries Biotechnology Program of the Department of Agriculture (DA Biotech Program), releases a monograph titled Farmers Speak: Stories from the Fields documenting how the adoption of biotech corn has improved the lives and communities of Filipino farmers in the Philippines. This monograph is the second edition of Farmers First: Feedback from the Farm, published in 2013 and updated in 2019.
Biotech corn, also known as Bt corn, Bt/HT corn, or genetically modified (GM) corn, has been transformed to express genetic traits to improve protection from pests and tolerance to herbicides. Bt corn contains Cry1Ab protein from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), a naturally occurring bacterium that targets Asian corn borer (ACB), one of the most damaging corn pests in Southeast Asia. On the other hand, herbicide tolerant corn (HT corn) was genetically engineered to resist the damaging effects of glyphosate herbicides.
In 2006, Bt/HT corn was developed to express stacked or combined traits of Bt corn and HT corn. Since then, farmers have expressed preference from single trait Bt corn and HT corn to the combined traits of Bt/HT corn, which led to lower production costs and higher yields and productivity of farmers in the Philippines. In a 2013 study by Mabutol-Afidchao, Bt corn has significantly reduced ACB pest infestation and borer damage by 44%. Since its introduction to the Philippines, biotech corn farmers have been reporting zero damages in their cornfields.
In 2023, the Global Agricultural Information Network (GAIN) reported that the Philippines, a pioneering country in adopting biotech crops, ranked 12 out of 29 countries globally for its commitment to adopting biotech crops. For farmers, the adoption of biotech crops has translated to higher productivity and greater financial stability. This is evident in the stories and experiences of the farmers featured in Farmers First: Feedback from the Farm. In the second edition, Farmers Speak: Stories from the Fields spotlights success stories from biotech corn farmers in the Philippines.
Here is the list of stories presented in the monograph:
- Adriel Dave Alvarez | A Catalyst of Social Transformation: From Non-Profit Executive to Mission Farmer
Kaymart Gimutao - Dorina Roche | Third-Generation Farmer Finds New Hope in Biotech Corn
Kaymart Gimutao - Randy Magno | From Adopter to Influencer: Pioneering Farmer Inspires Others to Adopt Biotech
Kaymart Gimutao - Deorita Borero Pillarda | How a Farmer's Leap of Faith Changed Her Life and Community
Michaela Jyra Melo - Raul Carreras | Biotech Innovation Transforms Engineer to an Agricultural Pioneer
Michaela Jyra Melo - Henry Lariosa | When Trusting Evidence Triumphs Over Fear and Helps a Farmer Maximize Income
Mikael Angelo Francisco - Joan Aguilar | A Former OFW No Longer Has to Be Far From Home, Thanks to Biotech Corn
Mikael Angelo Francisco - Ronaldo Damasco | Consistent Profit and Sustained Business Growth Through Biotech Corn
Mikael Angelo Francisco - Josephine de Vera | How Biotech Corn Empowers Women Farm-Leaders
Sophia Mercado - Mariel Corpuz | Biotechnology Gives Hope to Female Farmers
Sophia Mercado - Trinidad Velasco | Sustaining Families Through Biotechnology
Sophia Mercado
In the public briefings conducted by ISAAA in Iloilo and General Santos City in June 2024, 172 farmers, students, and other important stakeholders signed the Declaration of Support for the commercial planting of Bt/HT corn, Bt eggplant, Bt cotton, and Golden Rice. With these biotech crops in the pipeline, ISAAA Inc. hopes that more Filipino farmers will adopt and experience the benefits of planting such crops.
Download Farmers Speak: Stories from the Fields at the ISAAA website. For further reading:
- Farmers First: Feedback from the Farm
- Engage to Empower: Maximizing Impact of Biotechnology through Stakeholder Engagement
- Genetically modified (GM) corn in the Philippines: Ecological impact on agroecosystems, effects on the economic status and farmers’ experiences
- Philippines: Agricultural Biotechnology Annual
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