The role of biotechnology in reducing exhaust emissions and adapting to
climate change was the main focus of a workshop held in Ho Chi Minh
City on August 19.
Co-organised by the US Embassy in
Vietnam and the Ho Chi Minh City Biotechnology Centre, the event saw a
crowd of Vietnamese and foreign experts and scientists operating in the
field.
Participants focused their analysis on great potential
of genetically modified crops, especially maize, and their role in
trimming greenhouse gases and increasing economic efficiency in
Vietnam.
US Consul General to Ho Chi Minh City Rena Bitter
said that biotechnology not only helps increase agricultural
productivity but also limit greenhouse gases from agricultural
production activities and make countries adaptive to climate change.
According
to Dr. Leonardo Gonzales from the Philippines, through cultivating
genetically modified maize, many farmers get a higher income and use
less labour than growing normal maize varieties.
He proposed that
regional nations, including Vietnam, should increase investment in
biotechnology research and application in agricultural production so as
to create strategic genetically modified products by themselves.
Duong
Hoa Xo from the Ho Chi Minh City Biotechnology Centre said the Ministry
of Agriculture and Rural Development issued a decision allowing the
four genetically modified maize varieties of Bt 11, MIR 162, MON 89034
and NK 603 to be used as food for human and animals in Vietnam.
This is considered a stride made by Vietnam in accessing the world’s genetically modified crop varieties, he noted.
At
the workshop, attendees also deliberated about plans to switch from
rice cultivation to the growing of maize and other crops in the Mekong
Delta region, challenges for the cattle-breeding sector and measures to
promote biotechnology application in the future.-VNA