By Kerima Bulan T. Navales
Ten years after the Philippine government allowed the introduction of genetically-engineered varieties of corn, the state of farmers who shifted to planting the varieties have gone from bad to worse.
It’s because of the costly farm inputs needed to grow the varieties that are pushed by transnational agricultural companies like Monsanto.
Fred Paris, a farmer from the province of North Cotabato in Mindanao, said farmers who opted to plant genetically-modified corn varies “only pushed us farmers to a cycle of heavy debt.”
A study conducted by Masipag, a group of farmer groups advocating for organic and sustainable agriculture, and a think-tank Ibon Foundation, showed that farmers planting GM corn are having difficult times because of expensive corn seeds and the costly chemicals needed in the production.
“This resulted to loss of ownership rights to their lands, including food insecurity, threat to health and the environment,” said the study which was conducted in the provinces of Isabela, Pangasinan, Iloilo, Capiz, Bukidnon, South Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat.
The study said farmers have had to endure the exorbitant interests imposed by loansharks to continue farming. Traders also usually charge farmers with five percent to 10 percent monthly interest for the loans.
Farm inputs are also even higher when loaned, with prices marked up from P5 to P30 to as high as P100 to P1,500 on chemicals, seeds or other inputs.
