Biotech Updates

The Philippine Bureau of Plant Industry issued a Biosafety Permit for the Commercial Propagation of Bt cotton (GFM cry1A) developed by the Philippine Fiber Industry Development Authority (PhilFIDA). The permit was granted to PhilFIDA after completion of the biosafety evaluation and the requirements for commercial propagation based on the DOST-DA-DENR-DOH-DILG Joint Department Circular (JDC) No. 1, Series of 2021. BPI issued the permit on August 24, 2023, and announced the approval on their website.

Study Highlights Impact of GE Crops in Global Agri Output

In the absence of genetically engineered crops, the world would have needed 3.4 percent more cropland to achieve the global agricultural output in 2019. This finding is according to study published in the American Economic Review: Insights.

COGEM Concludes Stacked GM Cotton T304-40 x GHB119 x COT102 Does Not Pose an Environmental Risk in the Netherlands

The Netherlands Commission on Genetic Modification (COGEM) released the evaluation of the stacked genetically modified (GM) cotton T304-40 x GHB119 x COT102 for food and feed use, as submitted by Bayer CropScience.

Best-bet Communication Approaches on New Breeding Technologies Proposed at ABBC2023

The fight against misinformation on agricultural bio-innovations in Africa has received a major boost following the launch of the Africa Science Dialogue hub, an inclusive and interactive platform that will serve as a one-stop source of verifiable and credible information about trends in advanced innovations on agriculture, health, and the environment. The launch formed one of the key outcomes from the 5th edition of the Africa Biennial Biosciences Communication (ABBC) symposium held in Nairobi, Kenya, August 22-24, 2023