Global Status of Commercialized Biotech/GM Crops 2014 Launched in Beijing; Media Conferences Held in Asian Countries

Since 1996, during the first year of commercialization of biotech crops, ISAAA has released the annual “Global Status of Commercialized Biotech/GM Crops” (ISAAA Brief No. 49), a Report that documents the latest information on the global status of commercially approved biotech crops. Year after year, ISAAA prepares the Report and supports its free distribution to developing countries to provide information and knowledge to the scientific community and facilitate a more informed and transparent discussion regarding the potential role of biotech crops in contributing to global food, feed, fiber, and fuel security, and a more sustainable agriculture.

The 2014 Global Status Report is the 19th Brief in the series, and documents the global database on the adoption and distribution of biotech crops in the world in 2014, when 18 million farmers from 28 countries planted 181.5 million hectares of biotech crops. Below are summaries of the country launches held for the 2014 Global Status Report.

BEIJING, CHINA

Brief 49 was launched at the China World Hotel in Beijing, China on January 28, 2015, with 35 media representatives. A seminar where Dr. Clive James presented the global status of commercialized biotech/GM crops in 2014 was held at the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS) on January 29, and co-organized by CAAS, ISAAA, China BIC, and five professional societies in China. The seminar was attended by 200 stakeholders from the government, academe, research institutes, media agencies, and private companies. Guests during the seminar include Dr. Chen Zhangliang, Vice President of China Association for Science and Technology (CAST), Dr. Paul Teng, and Dr. Randy Hautea.

Dr. James presenting the global status of commercialized biotech/GM crops during the seminar in Beijing, China.

SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA

In Seoul, the media seminar for Brief 49 was held at The Plaza Hotel on January 30. It was attended by more than 60 people from the government, academe, and private companies. Dr. James presented the global status of commercialized biotech/GM crops in 2014. The seminar was co-organized by Dr. Soo-Chul Park, director of the National Center for GM Crops (NCGC) of the Next-Generation BioGreen21 Program in RDA, South Korea; and Dr. Tae-San Kim, director of CropLife Asia.

Dr. Park emphasized the need for the development of GM crops in Korea and mentioned 4 events (drought tolerant rice, herbicide-resistant/male sterility grass, virus resistant red pepper) that are under risk assessment.

More than 60 people from the government, academe, and private companies attended the seminar in Seoul.

TOKYO, JAPAN

The seminar and media engagement in Tokyo were facilitated by Dr. Fusao Tomita, the Nippon BIC director and the Council for Biotechnology Information in Japan (CBIJ) currently headed by Dr. Masahiro Suzuki. The event was held at Belle Salle Yaesu on February 2 and gathered more than 100 participants composed of media, policy makers, and the academe, an impossible feat on a Monday in Japan. Dr. Suzuki opened the seminar and provided information on the activities of CBIJ, followed by the presentations of Dr. James and Dr. Hautea. Dr. Tomita presented the current status and views of GM crops in Japan. A short meeting with the media was also held immediately after the seminar.

Dr. James at the media seminar in Tokyo.

HANOI, VIETNAM

Brief 49 was presented at a conference held at the Sofitel Hotel in Hanoi, on February 3. Hosted by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Vietnam Academy of Agricultural Sciences, and AgBiotech Vietnam, in cooperation with ISAAA, the conference was attended by more than 100 regulators and scientists from science, environment and agriculture ministries, members of the academe and research institutes, representatives of businesses, associations and media agencies.

Dr. James presented the global status of biotech/GM crops. Dr. Hautea discussed the application and benefits of biotech corn in the Philippines, while Dr. Mahaletchumy Arujanan, Executive Director of Malaysian Biotechnology Information Centre (MABIC) highlighted the role of the media in providing correct and objective information about biotech crops against the misconception of this technology.

Heads of ministries graced the occasion, including Dr. Nguyen Thi Thanh Thuy,  General Director of Department of Science and Technology of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development; and Prof. Dr. Trinh Khac Quang, Director of the Vietnam Academy of Agricultural Sciences. Discussions on the Q and A revolved around management of biotech seeds after commercialization and effective methods of communication on biotech crops to the public.

Dr. James is joined by Dr. Le Huy Ham (left) and Dr. Vo Tung Xuan (right) during the seminar in Hanoi.  

BANGKOK, THAILAND

Thailand’s Biosafety and Biotechnology Information Center (BBIC) Director Dr. Supat Attathom and Biotechnology Alliance Association (BAA) head Dr. Nipon Lamsupasit led the seminar in Bangkok held in Century Park Hotel on February 4. 119 participants composed of media, policy makers, the academe, and the industry attended the seminar. Simultaneous translation during the seminar was supported by BAA.

The seminar which featured presentations from Drs. James, Hautea, and Arujanan  was opened by Prof. Dr. Yongyuth Yuthawong, the Deputy Prime Minister of Thailand, who also met with the ISAAA team at breakfast. The country has permitted field trials of GM crops and is looking forward to commercialization. Former agriculture minister Thira Sutabutra also attended the seminar.

Dr. Hautea and Dr. James is joined by Dr. Arujanan in Bangkok.

YANGON & NAY PYI TAW, MYANMAR

Myanmar Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation (MOAI), the National Economic and Social Advisory Council (NESAC) co-organized the ISAAA seminars held in Summer Park View Hotel, Yangon on February 5; and at Thingaha Hotel, Nay Pyi Taw on February 6.

At the Yangon media conference, Dr. Sein Hla Bo, Presidential Economic Advisor to the President of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar chaired the seminar. More than 30 media representatives and members of the academe in Yangon attended the briefings by Dr. James and Mr. Bhagirath Choudhary, ISAAA Director for Strategic Initiatives.

The Nay Pyi Taw seminar was attended by more than 50 government representatives, policy makers, members of the academe, and media representatives. Dr. Ye Tint Htun, Director General of Department of Agriculture presided over the seminar with presentations from Dr. James, Mr. Choudhary, as well as from Dr. Khin Thida Myint, professor at Yezin Agricultural University who discussed the progress of GM crops in Myanmar, and the possibility of developing collaborative project on other crops important to food security in Myanmar. Prof. Daw Than Than Nu of the Department of Industrial Crops Development shared the achievement of Bt cotton and the development of new promising Bt cotton variety Ngwe Chi-9, to be released in the near future. It was notable that Dr. Ye Tint Htun, Director General of Department of Agricultural Research of the MOAI invited ISAAA to help them access new biotechnologies and facilitate technology transfer to Myanmar.

Dr. James (center) and Mr. Choudhary (second from left) at the seminar in Yangon.

DHAKA, BANGLADESH

Dr. James was joined by the Honorable Minister of Agriculture Matia Chowdhury who gave a message in the seminar in Dhaka held at the Bangladesh Agricultural Council (BARC) on February 8.

The event was co-organized by Bangladesh Biotechnology Information Center (BdBIC) Director Prof. Dr. Khondoker Nasiruddin and ISAAA in partnership with BARC and ABSP II (Agricultural Biotechnology Support Project II). Dr. James and Mr. Choudhary were joined in the forum by Dr. Md Rafiqual Islam Modal, Director General of BARI; Prof. Dr. Md Shahidur Rashid Bhuiyan, Pro VC of Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University; Dr. Abul Kalam Azad, Executive Chairman BARC; Prof. Md Shadat Ullah, VC of Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University and Mr. Md Eunusur Rahman, Secretary of Agriculture who each gave short message during the program. Around 450 participants from the scientific community, agricultural universities, different government departments, industry, seven media outlets who recorded the event, and a dozen print and online media attended the seminar.

Hon. Minister for Agriculture Matia Chowdhury was chief guest during the launch in Dhaka.

JAKARTA, INDONESIA

The seminar in Indonesia was attended by 150 stakeholders consisting of scientists, academicians, policy makers, farmers, journalists, and entrepreneurs. It was held on February 11, 2015. Dr. James shared the recent global developments in biotechnology. It was organized by the Indonesian Biotechnology Information Center (IndoBIC), ISAAA, Ministry of Agriculture, and National Outstanding Farmers Association (NOFA), and supported by the Indonesian Society for Agricultural Biotechnology (PBPI), CropLife Indonesia, and SEAMEO BIOTROP.

Dr. James also highlighted a significant development in biotechnology in Asia, saying that Vietnam and Indonesia are close to the commercialization of biotech crops, which is expected to begin in 2015. Dr. Ir. Hasil Sembiring, General Director of Food Crops of the Ministry of Agriculture represented the Minister to deliver the opening remarks on that event.

Speakers and moderator of the seminar in Jakarta (left to right): Prof. Agus Pakpahan, Dr. Hautea, Dr. Teng, Dr. James, and Ms. Veronica Moniaga.

MANILA, PHILIPPINES

The Manila launch of Brief 49 highlighted the continued expansion of biotech corn in the country. A media conference, co-organized with the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), was held on February 27, at the InterContinental Manila Hotel in Makati City. 

Speakers at the conference include ISAAA Board Chair Dr. Paul S. Teng; Dr. Hautea; ISAAA Senior Program Officer Dr. Rhodora R. Aldemita who presented the global status of commercialized biotech/GM crops in 2014; and Bukidnon farmer Mr. Edgar Talasan, who expressed his eagerness to plant an upcoming biotech crop, Bt eggplant. Representatives from government offices, scientists, and members of the media attended the seminar.

ISAAA Senior Program Officer Dr. Rhodora R. Aldemita presented the global status of commercialized biotech/GM crops in 2014 during the seminar in Manila.

More information about ISAAA's Global Status of Commercialized Biotech/GM Crops: 2014 are available at ISAAA website: http://www.isaaa.org/resources/publications/briefs/49/default.asp. Various information resources, including the Executive Summary, Top Ten Facts about Biotech/GM Crops in 2014, Powerpoint slides, infographics, and videos are all available for download from the same link.

For more information about ISAAA, visit http://www.isaaa.org/, or follow ISAAA on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/isaaa.org) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/isaaa_org).

ISAAA Brief 46 Publications, Videos

ISAAA's Brief 46, Global Status of Commercialized Biotech/GM Crops in 2013, written by ISAAA founder and emeritus chair Dr. Clive James, has reached over 3.7 billion media impressions 2 months after its global launch. The number of media articles has increased to 2,231 in the same period of time, with Brief 46 materials translated into 45 major languages, reaching 72 countries worldwide.

The two-page highlights of the full Brief 46, "Top Ten Facts on Global Biotech/GM Crops in 2013 has been translated and now available in 53 languages. The languages are: Amharic, Arabic, Bahasa, Balochi, Bangla, Bicolano, Bisaya, Brahvi, Bulgarian, Burmese, Chichewa, Chinese, Chitumbuka, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Ewe, Farsi, Filipino, Finnish, French, German, Hausa, Hindi, Hungarian, Igbo, Ilokano, Japanese, Kabyè, Khmer, Korean, Luganda, Malay, Pashto, Polish, Portuguese, Punjabi, Romanian, Russian, Sindhi, Siraiki, Slovak, Spanish, Swahili, Swedish, Thai, Turkish, Ukrainian, Urdu, Vietnamese, Welsh, and Yoruba. The translations are available for download at: http://bit.ly/1gCIRmS.

The Executive Summary, a 13-page document summarizing information on hectarage, adoption, and benefits of biotech crops in 2013, as well as its future prospects, is now available in 12 languages: Arabic, Balochi, Brahvi, Chinese, English, Farsi, French, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swahili, and Ukrainian. The translations are available for download at: http://bit.ly/1j7TcIV. 

ISAAA Brief 46 is also summarized and presented in four videos: 

• Dr. Clive James, author of the 2013 Report gives the whole overview of the Report in a 10 minute video available at http://www.isaaa.org/resources/videos/globalstatusreport2013/default.asp; 
• A 4.5 minuter on highlights in Africa can be viewed at http://www.isaaa.org/resources/videos/globalstatusreport2013/africa/default.asp; 
• A 6.14 video on highlights in the Americas at http://www.isaaa.org/resources/videos/globalstatusreport2013/theamericas/default.asp; and  
• A 3.09 summary on highlights in Asia by  Dr. Randy A. Hautea, ISAAA Global Coordinator and Southeast Asia Director, is available at http://www.isaaa.org/resources/videos/globalstatusreport2013/asia/default.asp.

More information about ISAAA's Global Status of Commercialized Biotech/GM Crops: 2013 are available at ISAAA's website at http://www.isaaa.org/resources/publications/briefs/46/default.asp. Various information resources, including the Executive Summary and its translations, Top Ten Facts about Biotech/GM Crops in 2013, Powerpoint Slides, Infographics, and videos are all available for download from the same link.

For more information about ISAAA, visit http://www.isaaa.org/, or follow ISAAA on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/isaaa.org) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/isaaa_org).

Global Status of Commercialized Biotech/GM Crops 2013 Seminars in Indonesia, Bangladesh, and Philippines

A month after the international launch of ISAAA's 2013 Global Status of Commercialized Biotech/GM Crops in Beijing, 10 countries in Asia have held their respective launches and media seminars. ISAAA's monitoring of the tri-media shows that one month after the international launch, Brief 46 has been mentioned in 1,933 news articles and 1,777 social media posts in 77 countries with a total impression data of 2,147,275,067.

Our previous blog posts discussed the country launches in China, South Korea, Japan, Vietnam, Thailand, and Myanmar. The following are summaries of the events in Indonesia, Bangladesh, and the Philippines.


BANGLADESH

In Bangladesh, the seminar/launch for ISAAA Brief 46 was held in Dhaka, Bangladesh on February 26. The event was highlighted by the keynote speech of Agriculture Minister Matia Chowdhury. Minister Chowdhury said that "Being an overpopulated country, we will not hesitate in using biotechnology if it is proven to be useful and safe for human, animal and for the environment." She urged scientists to develop new crop varieties through frontier research using biotechnology to combat the environmental hazards like salinity, drought, submergence, and cold.

Bangladesh Biotechnology Information Centre (BdBIC) and ISAAA, in collaboration with the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council (BARC) and Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI) organized the seminar which was attended by around 350 policy planners, academicians, researchers, extension officers, research students, and journalists.

Dr. James (third from left) is joined by Minister Chowdhury during the launch of Brief 46 in Dhaka.

INDONESIA

The Jakarta, Indonesia seminar was held on February 28, and was attended by 128 people. Dr. Mahaletchumy Arujanan of Malaysia BIC joined Dr. Clive James and Dr. Randy Hautea by giving a presentation "Communicating Agri-biotech: Scientific Accuracy vs Popularized Myths." Two interviews for release on television were conducted featuring Dr. Clive James.

Drs. James and Hautea was joined by Dr. Arujanan during the launch in Jakarta.

PHILIPPINES

A media conference was held on March 6, 2014 at Dusit Thani Hotel, Makati City, with more than 60 people in attendance, composed of multi-media journalists, members of the academe, government agencies, private sector, non-government organizations, and local government units. At the conference, ISAAA Chair Dr. Paul Teng talked about food security and how biotech crops help contribute in various aspects of food security, such as improvement of nutrition and agricultural productivity. ISAAA Global Coordinator and SEAsiaCenter Director Dr. Randy Hautea presented the global status, trends, and significant benefits of biotech crop adoption.

Resource persons of the media conference in Makati are (Left to right): DA Undersecretary Segfredo Serrano, ISAAA Global Coordinator and SEAsia Center Director Dr. Hautea, ISAAA Chair Dr. Teng, SEARCA Director Dr. Gil Saguiguit, and Former University of the Philippines President and UPLB Chancellor Dr. Emil Q. Javier.

More information about ISAAA's Global Status of Commercialized Biotech/GM Crops: 2013 are available at ISAAA's website at http://www.isaaa.org/resources/publications/briefs/46/default.asp. Various information resources, including the Executive Summary, Top Ten Facts about Biotech/GM Crops in 2013, Powerpoint Slides, Infographics, and videos are all available for download from the same link.

For more information about ISAAA, visit http://www.isaaa.org/, or follow ISAAA on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/isaaa.org) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/isaaa_org).

Global Status of Commercialized Biotech/GM Crops 2013 Seminars in Vietnam, Thailand, and Myanmar

ISAAA’s 2013 Global Status of Commercialized Biotech/GM Crops, also called ISAAA Brief 46, has been launched in 7 countries in Asia since its international release in Beijing, China on February 13, 2014. Close monitoring of the tri-media shows that two weeks after its launch, Brief 46 has been mentioned in 1,312 news articles and 1,057 social media posts in 66 countries with a total impression data of 1,148,573,861.

The previous blog post discussed the country launches in China, South Korea, and Japan. Following are summaries of the events in Vietnam, Thailand, and Myanmar.

VIETNAM

In Vietnam, around 126 representatives of media (radio, print, and online), universities, government agencies, and private institutions and companies attended the seminar at Hanoi’s Sofitel Plaza, where Brief 46 was launched on February 20, 2014. The author, Dr. Clive James, presented the highlights of the report including the benefits and future prospects of biotech crops. Other speakers include ISAAA Global Coordinator Dr. Randy A. Hautea, who discussed the impact of biotech corn in the Philippines; ISAAA Chair Dr. Paul Teng talked about food security; and Malaysian Biotechnology Information Centre Executive Director Dr. Mahalectumy Arajanan made a presentation on how to communicate biotechnology.

Dr. Clive James at the media conference in Hanoi on February 20.

THAILAND

Around 100 representatives from radio and print media attended the press conference and seminar held at the Rama Gardens Hotel in Bangkok on February 21, 2014. Dr. Clive James, author of Brief 46 was asked about GM food safety and biotechnology for biofuel production.

Dr. James at the seminar in Bangkok with Dr. Sutat Sriwitanapongse (left) and Dr. Supat Attathom (right) from Thailand Biotechnology and Biosafety Information Center.

MYANMAR

On February 24, 2014, Brief 46 was launched during an agriculture seminar in Nay Pyi Taw, the new capital city of Myanmar. Myanmar's Union Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation, H.E. U Myint Hlaing was present at the seminar and stressed the importance of adopting the appropriate modern technologies including biotechnology in crop production. The event was organized by the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation (MOAI) in collaboration with the National Social and Economic Advisory Council (NSEAC) and ISAAA.

Dr. James presents a replica coin of Dr. Norman Borlaug Congressional Gold Medal to Union Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation H.E. U Myint Hlaing in the presence of Dr. Tin Htut Oo, Chairman of National Economic and Social Advisory Commission and Dr. Tin Htut, Rector of Yezin Agricultural University.

The Minister said “Given the limitation in current activities in plant biotechnology, we have to extend the research activities of plant biotechnology in the near future of which strengthening of technical capacity and human resource development is crucial."

A media conference was also held in Yangon, Myanmar on February 23, which was attended by around 40 tri media practitioners and the private sector.

Updates on the events in Dhaka, Bangladesh and Jakarta, Indonesia will be posted here next week.

More information about ISAAA's Global Status of Commercialized Biotech/GM Crops: 2013 are available at ISAAA's website at http://www.isaaa.org/resources/publications/briefs/46/default.asp. Various information resources, including the Executive Summary, Top Ten Facts about Biotech/GM Crops in 2013,Powerpoint Slides, Infographics, and videos are all available for download from the same link.

For more information about ISAAA, visit http://www.isaaa.org/, or follow ISAAA on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/isaaa.org) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/isaaa_org). 

ISAAA's GM Approval Database: A One-Stop-Shop for Biotech Crop Information

In 2012, 170.3 million hectares of commercialized biotech crops were planted by more than 17 million farmers in 28 developing and industrial countries worldwide. These numbers are clear indications that many farmers from different agricultural conditions choose biotech crops because of the benefits they offer.

Unknown to many people, biotech crops pass through rigorous, science-based evaluation for a number of years before they reach farmers’ fields to assure the public that these crops are safe to consumers' health and the environment. In the United States, there are nine steps in the regulatory process which usually takes around seven to ten years to complete, a far more thorough procedure than what any conventional crop goes through. All such processes are documented and pertinent regulatory information are made available through the approving countries' Biotechnology Clearing Houses and their websites.

In an effort to put together such information, ISAAA created the GM Approval Database, an easy to use online atlas of biotech crops approved for cultivation, trade and/or consumption. The database features the basic information on different crop genetic modifications (GM) called events, and the summary of regulatory approvals granted for these events in different countries.

GM Approval Database page from ISAAA's website.

Led by Drs. Rhodora R. Aldemita and Renando O. Solis, ISAAA intended this database to be of general use, and its developers sought to simplify its contents and maximize the convenience of navigating through the information that the database can provide according to its users' preferences. Dr. Solis said that while the database provides only basic and summarized information for each of the hundreds of events currently in the atlas, users can be directed to other online sources for additional information.

The database does provide the latest information on approved GM events, which adds to its increasing functionality. So far, most of the feedbacks have come from users who are involved in seed business or seed regulation, and some get to contribute to update the current data. The synchrony of international approvals for biotech crops would have an impact on international seed and food trade, and this is the reason why ISAAA is constantly on the watch to track these approvals through the pre-commercial pipeline of every country. Researchers and biotech advocates have also sent feedback, and their suggestions open avenues for further improvement.

ISAAA’s GM Approval Database currently holds information for 329 unique events representing 26 biotech crops with regulatory approval in at least one country for food/feed use or commercial cultivation. Links to more than 2,000 regulatory documents and related information are also provided.

Visit the GM Approval Database at http://www.isaaa.org/gmapprovaldatabase/eventslist/default.asp.

For more information about ISAAA and the Global Knowledge Center on Crop Biotechnology, visit our website at: http://www.isaaa.org/ and http://www.isaaa.org/kc. To subscribe to the weekly Crop Biotech Update, click here: http://www.isaaa.org/subscribe.

ISAAA is also on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/isaaa.org) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/isaaa_org). 

Bt Toxin: A Story of the Pen and its Cap

Explaining the Bt technology to a layman might be hard because you would need to define a lot of terms and explain a number of concepts. However, plant biotechnologist Dr. K.C. Bansal, made it easy using a pen and its cap.

The protein produced by Bt crops is generally called a Bt protoxin which can be represented by a pen without a cap. So once the pest consumes a part of a Bt plant, the Bt protoxin (pen) meets with a receptor inside the insect's gut which is represented by the cap of the pen. When the protoxin (pen) and the receptor (cap) bind together in alkaline gut condition, they become an activated toxin, ready to poison the gut of the pest such as cotton bollworm, the eggplant fruit and shoot borer, and the Asian and European corn borers.

When non-target organisms (like humans and animals) ingest a part of a Bt plant, the toxin will not be activated because the receptor (cap) is only present in the gut of target organisms. Thus, the Bt protoxin will not take its action and become a toxin. Bt plants therefore are as safe as its conventional counterparts for food and feed. It has been proven safe by international food safety agencies since Bt corn were introduced in 1996.

For more information about Bt technology, read ISAAA Pocket K No. 6 at http://isaaa.org/resources/publications/pocketk/6/default.asp.

Artwork by Rene Aranda, Philippine Star.

For more information about ISAAA and the Global Knowledge Center on Crop Biotechnology, visit our website at: http://www.isaaa.org/ and http://www.isaaa.org/kc. To subscribe to the weekly Crop Biotech Update, click here: http://www.isaaa.org/subscribe.