• THERESA MAE DULMAN
Three leading international experts in organic and regenerative agriculture have urgently appealed to Provincial Government of Negros Occidental to uphold its ban on genetically modified organisms (GMOs).
The collective plea comes as the Sangguniang Panlalawigan deliberates a proposed Negros Occidental GMO Regulatory Ordinance that seeks to amend an 18-year ban on GMOs in the province.
Advocates for organic farming warn that such a move could erase nearly two decades of effort in building Negros Occidental’s reputation as a national model for organic and sustainable farming.
President of International Federation of Organics Movement Karen Mapusua emphasized the precautionary principle in her appeal.
She stated that given the potential for serious harm, authorities must not take risks that could undermine the organic food security system for which Negros is known.
Mapusua, whose work focuses on advancing organic farming and food security in the Pacific, stressed that losing the island’s GMO-free status would be a “tragedy.”
Bestselling author and International Director of Regeneration International, Dr. André Leu highlighted the health and economic disadvantages of GMOs.
Leu stated that scientific studies show GMO consumption is linked to serious health problems for both people and animals, and that GMOs offer no benefits to farmers, claiming that independent science indicates they yield less than traditional varieties.
Adding her voice, Sara Compson, Director for Standards Innovation at the UK-based Soil Association, urged Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson to preserve the province’s GMO-free status.
She asserted that keeping GMOs out is vital to securing the future of farming in the region and protecting the genetic diversity necessary for a thriving agricultural future.*
