Agriculturists from various local government units, line agencies and non-government organizations in Negros Occidental were introduced to genetically-modified organisms detection in a training organized by the Negros Island Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development Foundation and the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist at the Governor’s Hall of the Provincial Capitol yesterday.

The skills sharing, facilitated by representatives from anti-GMO advocacy groups Greenpeace and the Third World Network, is part of the implementation of the landmark ordinance which bans  living genetically-modified organisms in the province.

Key LMO bans under the ordinance are: entry of living GMOs and experimentation and/or field testing related to it, as well as planting or growing and selling or trading of living GMOs.

Elenita Daño, facilitator from the Third World Network, stressed the need to develop the capacity of enforces like agriculturists to detect GMOs, such as corn which was used in the strip testing demonstration during the training.   

This is just one in the series of trainings that you need to capacitate the enforcers, she said.

Enforcers should also be introduced to other approaches to detecting GMOs like polymerase chain reaction, she said,  which means also the need to strengthen the capacities of laboratories of  local universities and colleges to enable them to use the PCR technique which allows the production of a large number of copies of a gene in two hours.

Daño said that those designated to educate the public on GMOs in Negros Occidental should also undergo a series of capacity-building trainings and continually strengthen their knowledge. 

There are many developments so you should really upgrade and update your knowledge on the issue, she said.     

Armigenia Benedicto, provincial coordinator of the organic agriculture program, said the 50 training participants are tasked to safeguard the province from the entry of GMOs.

With this training, we aim to develop their skills in detecting GMOs, she said.*NLG

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