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Stick with the facts, CropLife
urges public on Bteggplant 
Ramon Abadilla, Executive Director of CropLife Philippines, is urging the public to give biotechnology a fair chance rather than believe in rehashed narratives about Bt eggplant and Golden Rice. This comes amid a Court of Appeals order for a moratorium on these two key components to food security amid the challenges of climate change.
"In an era abundant with information, we should educate ourselves rather than succumb to unfounded claims about biotechnology. Take, for instance, the Bt eggplant, or Bttalong, which holds the potential to assist farmers in pest management, thereby boosting production and income," he emphasized. Contrary to the myths perpetuated by anti-Bt eggplant activists, studies indicate that the use of pesticides poses greater health risks to farmers than cultivating Bt eggplants, which are resistant to eggplant fruit and shoot borer (FSB). He cited a study conducted in Sta. Maria Pangasinan last year which revealed that 92 percent of farmers experienced pesticide spills on their bodies during application, with 65 percent occurring while spraying and 62 percent while mixing pesticides (Lu, 2014). Additionally, another study by S.R. Francisco (2014) found that 46 percent of eggplant farmers reported illness following pesticide application, including symptoms such as dizziness, shortness of breath, loose bowel movements, and itchiness, leading to significant health costs akin to those observed among rice farmers. Further studies on chronic pesticide exposure among farmers have linked it to more severe ailments such as lung and cardiac diseases (Rola and Pingali, 1993). Bt eggplants, developed with the aid of biotechnology, exhibit resistance to FSB. They produce a natural protein that renders them impervious to the ravages of the FSB caterpillars, halting their feeding and eventual demise upon consumption of plant leaves, shoots, and fruits. As for human safety, the Bt protein in biotech eggplants exclusively targets FSB and poses no threat to humans, farm animals, or other non-target organisms. In 2023, the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA), a nonprofit organization dedicated to disseminating the benefits of crop biotechnology, affirmed the safety of Bt eggplants for human consumption pending completion of the biosafety regulatory process for commercial propagation approval. This development paves the way for Bt eggplants to be accessible to the public in the near future. Department of Agriculture's (DA) Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) has previously granted approval for Bt eggplant event 'EE-1' for direct use as food, feed, or processing (FFP). The BPI has also issued Biosafety Permit No. 21-078FFP, deeming it as safe as conventional eggplant and can serve as a substitute for its traditional counterpart. |
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