Manila, The Philippines
April 11, 2008
Source:
BusinessMirror
via
SEAMEO SEARCA
The Philippines will never be able
to achieve self-sufficiency in rice unless it expands land for
the cultivation of the staple or plant more genetically enhanced
rice strains that yield up to 35 percent more than the
traditional varieties.
These two options are the only ones available for the country,
which devotes only 2.3 million hectares of irrigated land for
rice cultivation, many of them in farms of uneconomic sizes,
with little or no mechanization, and with less water.
The country has about 1.9 million hectares of rain-fed rice
farms. In contrast, Thailand has 9.9 million hectares of rice
fields and Vietnam devotes 7.5 million hectares for the
propagation of the staple.
Thailand is the world's biggest exporter of the grain, while
Vietnam follows suit, even as the productions in China and India
are eight times or seven times bigger, respectively.
In 2004 the Philippines only harvested 4.12 million hectares of
land, while Vietnam profited from 9.82 million hectares of land
that grew rice.
Leocadio Sebastian, director of the
Philippine Rice Research
Institute (PhilRice), said the country must be able to
increase productivity tremendously if it wants to achieve a
semblance of food security and end the dependence on imported
rice.
Biotechnology has been addressing this problem with the
introduction of alternative-rice varieties resistant to rice
diseases that that have condemned farmers to a regime of low
productivity, he added.
Tungro-disease and bacterial leaf blight-resistant (BLB)
rice-varieties are being developed to lessen yield losses in the
coming years.
At present, two BLB rice varieties, Tubigan 7 and Tubigan 11,
are already commercially available.
While the development of conventional rice takes between eight
and 10 years, genetically enhanced varieties using the tools of
biotechnology would take only five years to develop, Sebastian
said. This alone means that indigenously developed transgenic
rice varieties can reach the market at a quicker pace, thus
enhancing production.
PhilRice says while the initial cost of cultivating biotech rice
is higher, the long-term benefit is positive since the gross
income of individual farmers would rise by at least 26 percent.
Biolife News Service
Biotechnology
offers hope for adequate rice supply
Source:
BusinessMirror
via
SEAMEO SEARCA
The Philippine Rice
Research Institute (PhilRice) is working double time to
promote indigenously developed biotech rice to raise yields by
up to 35 percent and cultivate the staple with micronutrients
like iron and beta-carotene, the precursor of vitamin A.
PhilRice has been developing new varieties from traditional rice
and is also researching on how to introduce beta-carotene into
these strains to prevent blindness among children and lactating
mothers, according to PhilRice supervising science-research
specialist Dr. Antonio Alfonso.
Moreover, PhilRice said the battle is really on how to prevent
20,000 deaths due to hunger in a country that has resources
ample enough to support a population of 200 million.
Alfonso said the introgression could be done within the year and
with it follows the development of Golden Rice and 3-in-1 rice
varieties.
Department of Agriculture Biotechnology Program director Alice
Ilaga said these efforts in rice research and development may be
the answer to the problem of tight rice supply today.
However, she added, the study's success will require political
will on the part of the government.
Prospects are high for the biotechnology-engineered rice
varieties as it will not only address recent failure to produce
adequate rice supply, but will also help solve malnutrition in
the country.
Eventually, genetically modified rice will also lessen, if not
totally free, the Philippines from annual rice imports.
Golden Rice, as a result of genetic engineering, will produce
rice grains enriched with beta-carotene.
The 3-in-1 rice varieties, meantime, will be the first of its
kind that is both vitamin-enriched rice, tungro-resistant (RTD)
and bacterial blight-resistant rice varieties (BLB).
RTD and BLB are two rice diseases that have contributed to low
rice production.
To date, research is still being done for the 3-in-1 rice
variety targeted for commercial release by 2011.
Biolife News Service
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