ASEAN's farm research center Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) is pushing for support for favorable agri-biotechnology regulatory policies amid local calls for the revocation of the commercial permit of pro-Vitamin A-rich Golden Rice.
This, as SEARCA said it believes that agri-biotechnology will be key to food security and upliftment of farmers' lives.
"We stand behind products of agribiotechnology that increase agricultural productivity to feed a growing population in the midst of dwindling natural resources and erratic changes in climate," said SEARCA Director and National Academician Glenn B. Gregorio.
"Due attention must be given to our resource-poor farmers by providing them access to information, best practices, and new technologies that gives them a fighting chance to cope with the many challenges they face and to open up better opportunities for them and their families so that they can have better quality lives," he added.
A few weeks ago, environmental group Greenpeace criticized the Philippine government's move to say that genetically modified Golden Rice is as good and safe as commercial and traditional rice. Greenpeace said that the decision lack public participation.
