Plant Breeders, Also Journalists Are Important In Developing PH Agriculture – But They Must Practice “Science With A Human Phase”

Remember: Science is for People, not Plant Breeders, not Journalists.

The article “SEARCA Tells Filipino Plant Breeders To Use Genomics In Crop Dev’t” in the Manila Bulletin of 23 November 2020 by Madelaine B Miraflor‌, has lessons for the Editor and the Journalist.

I happen to be an agriculturist, writer & editor. So I know that there, the Journalist misses the point of the news coming from the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study & Research in Agriculture, SEARCA. The angle of the Journalist is off tangent. Yes, SEARCA said, via Director Glenn B Gregorio, “Plant breeders should use technology that makes use of gene transformation to fast-track development of crops like the Golden Rice, which has superior traits.” But that is not the major message of Mr Gregorio.

We can find that main point from what the SEARCA Director says, which the Journalist herself quotes:

I am a plant breeder, and I’m very familiar with (molecular) marker-assisted selection. As I get older, I realize the importance of sales, of commercialization. We should have market-aided selection so that our selection for traits should be based on the market, not only markers (molecular markers). There should always be a business component in everything we do.

When scientists produce a genetically modified organism, GMO, like Golden Rice that which they have bred to produce more Vitamin A than the usual rice grain, those scientists do not produce for their own satisfaction but for the rice eaters.

The market for science is the people, not the scientists!
(“Science for the people[1]” image from Astig.ph)

Very clearly, Mr Gregorio is saying, “I realize the importance of sales, of commercialization.” You have a beautiful produce? You still have to sell it to the public. “Science with a human face” was how Secretary of Agriculture William Dar put it when he was Director General of ICRISAT 2000-2014. If the people do not like your product, they will not bite!

Plant breeding is for people, not plant breeders. “We should have market-aided selection so that our selection for traits should be based on the market, not only markers (molecular markers).” The human phase is: Breed the crop according to what the target consumers want, or need.

Yes, the Journalist is right in claiming that Mr Gregorio said to use genomics in crop development, so that you can breed faster a desired crop and reduce breeding costs by 32% compared to the conventional methods. But the customer must like your new product, or there is no sale!

I remember now my idol. Whom the GMO people should be emulating in creating new products is the genius Steve Jobs of Apple – he instinctively knew what people wanted even if they could not articulate it. No market research, but when the iPod appeared, everyone wanted it! And so with the iPhone, and the iPad (tablet computer)…

Everyone needs Steve Jobs’ genius to produce and sell new products. Even among plant breeders, may his tribe increase!@517

 


[1]https://astig.ph/bulacan-state-university-science-technology-week-2019-event/

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Lessons Learned From Roman Catholic “Father Acong” About Successfully Building Basic Ecclesial Communities (BECs) With Enduring Love

Image
I have been reading & rereading the book “ Father Ciriaco Alberto Sevilla, Jr – MSK Trailblazer” (242 pages, published 2010 in Lucena City, edited by Milwida S Reyes ). A 12-year-old book – is the content still relevant to come up with a new version? My answer is, “Yes!” Personally, I want the book to highlight the love for the poor parishioners that Father Acong showed, as he had single-mindedly created 400+ Basic Ecclesial Communities (BECs) in the far-flung villages of Quezon Province before he died Oct 2007. If that is not love for the poor, I don’t know what love is! About the BECs, Msgr Lope C Robredillo, VG, says [“An Overview Of The Basic Ecclesial Communities (BECs), From The Other Side Of History , msgrlope.blogspot.com ]: The Second Plenary Council of the Philippines devotes two paragraphs to describe the BECs… “They are small communities of Christians, usually of families who gather together around the Word of God and the Eucharist.” As Roman Catholic, an edit
Read more

“Creative Freedom” – UP, Time To Replace Your Symbol Of Academic Freedom!

Image
It occurred to me today, Sunday, 16 October 2022, that changing the symbol of the University of the Philippines System (UP) is long overdue – because the Oblation (smaller but sunnier image) has ever inspired disapproval , even radicalism, and never creativity ! This is a creative person writing, self-taught in communication and in digital media – yes, I am a UP alumnus, 1965. The bigger image is my photograph (taken 29 July 2016) of the fiberglass sculptural piece of Maria Pureza Escaño , which she titles “The Rose Of Marya: Service Through Excellence” ( Maria Pureza Escaño , weebly.com ). Commissioned by the Sigma Delta Sorority , “Marya” is now a landmark at the UP Los Baños Alumni Plaza. Ms Maria says of it: Recently, Maria Pureza Escaño was handpicked by the University of the Philippines for her concept and rendition of "The Rose of Marya: Service through Excellence," an allegorical seven-foot fiber glass sculpture celebrating100 years of excellence and service to
Read more

SOLVE As A Way Of Speech & Blogging As A Way Of Write

Image
Searca Tuesday, 28 April 2020, 10:00 AM, embarks on a Southeast Asian voyage of discovering and/or uncovering pieces & sets of knowledge on food security given the global coronavirus outbreak.  It is a webinar series to “ highlight concrete actions in agriculture and rural development in Southeast Asia.” The series to be launched is called “Searca Online Learning & Virtual Engagement,” acronym SOLVE, which is Searca’s “effort to break boundaries, both physical and conceptual, to strategically disseminate just-in-time solutions.” It is ambitious, but the times call for it. Searca Director Glenn B Gregorio says of it: The new normal brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic has firmed up Searca’s resolve to embark on new modalities and use technology-mediated platforms of interactions to effectively deliver context-relevant and valuable services to its stakeholders, including farmers and the public. SOLVE is virtual but the learnings are real. Mr Gregorio said: SOLVE particularly hi
Read more