DAVAO CITY – An island network representing organic farmers and their support groups is challenging the University of the Philippines Mindanao’s (UPMin) assurance that the latest round of eggplant trial testing at its campus site in Bago Oshiro does not involve the genetically modified Bt talong.
Go Organic Mindanao (GOM) in its press statement said that UPMin and Dr. Eufemio Rasco should show proof that the eggplant seedlings which have already been planted in the former field trial site of the Bt talong are not a new batch of genetically modified eggplants from the Institute of Plant Breeding (IPB) in UP Los Banos. “It is not enough that we should take their word for it; because after all, these are the very same people who sought to circumvent local administrative processes in order to carry out the Bt talong field testing experiment. UP Mindanao should show proof that these are not genetically modified Bt eggplants. ”, the statement said.
Last January 28, 2011, UPMin Chancellor Dr. Gilda C. Rivero had written Mayor Sarah Duterte informing her of the latest eggplant experiment which is being conducted by Dr. Eufemio Rasco. In the letter, she wrote that the latest experiment is a study on pest management of eggplant and assured the Mayor that the latest plantings do not involve the use of Bt eggplant. “The general objective (of the experiment) is to determine the relative effectiveness of non-BT control measures”, she wrote. “The results will also serve as benchmark information for evaluation the severity of the pest problem in Davao City”. Her letter also asked for the Mayor’s endorsement of the project to the City Agriculturist Office as well to the NGOs who are against the Bt talong field testing.
But GOM members are not convinced. “How are we to know that what they are telling us is the truth? Last week , they told us that the Bt talong field testing is funded by the University but when copies of the contract came out, we found out that the contract was signed by private entities and not the University itself. Now they are telling us that this new batch is not Bt talong. Are we supposed to believe that at face value?”, asked Lia Esquillo, Executive Director of the Interface Development Interventions (IDIS)
Local critics of the latest field experiments point out there were already numerous studies which have been conducted , no less by the Institute of Plant Breeding-UPLB itself. IDIS Research Head Ann Bolo revealed that the research of Dr. Merdelyn C. Lit of IPB has provided important data on the resistance of hundreds of eggplant genotypes and their wild relatives against leafhopper and shoot/fruit borer. “Dr. Lit’s research had also resulted in the development of efficient field and greenhouse techniques for Host Plant resistance screening of the varieties, so what does Dr. Rasco seek to prove with his research?”, she asked. “If by gauging the effectiveness of non-Bt control measures, they mean to reduce the pest population in the field without use of insecticides, then the Lit research studies are already a validation that one does not need Bt crops in order to achieve high production yield.”, she said.
Bolo also added that she would be interested in finding out the project’s research design. “UPMin should also release a copy of the research design so that those who doubt the objectives of the experiment will have the chance to see for themselves”, she said.
Meanwhile, GOM members called on the research proponents to include local farmers in the study. “If the goal of the study is to study organic and conventional methods in pest management, they should not ignore the indigenous farming knowledge that local farmers have in combating eggplant pests”, said Dennie Udtuhan, a community organizer for FARMCOOP. “ Farmers know what’s best for them since they have been doing it for all their lives”, she pointed out.