The gentle mountain slopes in this fascinatingly beautiful place at once catch the attention not merely for their idyllic setting and extremely hospitable people that reside in their lush green shadows but also for a revolutionary trend in the agriculture they now practice along these inclines.

As one winds through the serene terrains of Cagayan valley in northern Philippines, none can escape the hypnotising effect of the slopes covered with rows of standing corn crops. The Philippines government has left no stone unturned to ensure that the corn farmers produce more, for their own self and for the country whose economy’s mainstay is agriculture. The country, with over nine crore people to feed, has only small-scale local industries and no big manufacturing units worth the name. Like the capital Manila, swanky malls and super shops can be found dotting the roadside market lines in most small towns that house rows of shanties amidst rich mansion, but the products sold here come from outside. And so, Philippines was quick to adopt biotechnology to boost its economy. Besides Bt Corn, the country has cleared Bt Cotton, maize, potato, soyabean, Argentine canola and sugar beet for use.

Authorities claim that introduction of Bt Corn in the province, that also produces rice like most other parts of the 7,000-odd islands’ archipelago, has led to the production rising by four tonnes per hectare to 12 tonnes per hectare in less than five years, increasing their incomes from a meager 10,000 Pesos (Philippines currency) to 30 to 40,000 Pesos annually. Across Philippines, Bt Corn is now sowed on over 4 lakh hectares.

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