Suchergebnisse

This chapter determines the role of the government extension system in a private-led technological innovation by investigating farmer adoption of genetically engineered (GE) corn varieties and reviews policies governing the Philippine agricultural extension system. The data used were gathered through interviews with 1,200 corn farmers and key informant interviews with private and government stakeholders. The following results were obtained from the study: GE corn is widely adopted; farmers consider GE corn varieties safe for humans, animals, environment, and other crops; the promotional campaign of the private companies focus on the economic benefits associated with its use; co-farmers and government extension workers were the major sources of agricultural information; farmers and extension workers lack accurate knowledge about GE corn varieties; and the number of GE corn farmers and GE corn hectarage at the local level is not adequately monitored. The study concludes that orientation about GE corn varieties should be provided for the local extension workers, who serve as the farmers' direct source of agricultural information, so they can guide farmers to make informed decisions; and local extension workers should take an active role in the monitoring of GE corn adoption within the locality to provide data for policy decision making.

This paper examined the Philippine papaya seed system and how this would change with the introduction of the open-pollinated genetically modified (GM) papaya resistant to papaya ring spot virus (PRSV) being developed at the University of the Philippines Los Baños. The PRSV is the major cause of yield reduction in papaya production, the sixth major fruit crop in the Philippines. Intrduction of GM papaya will affect the current seed system, due to biosafety and stewardship concerns. Commercialization of the GM papaya has to comply with a more complex system of regulations in order to safeguard seed integrity and food safety. Aside from the already stringent biosafety policies regulating commercial release of PRSV-resistant papaya, some feedback mechanism or seed tracking may be necessary to sustain the transgenic seed traits. Thus, seed stewardship would entail collaboration among government, business, farmer-users, and the research and development (R&D) group. While institutions are in place in the formal seed market system, a strong public-private sector partnership is crucial. At the informal system level, farmer education, effective agricultural extension, and a community-based seed management system are also needed.