Technology transfer for scale insects and soy

Since my doctoral dissertation was on technology transfer, I am particularly interested in its application to two agricultural areas that are very important today: scale insects and soy.

At the July 26 science forum, Science and Technology Secretary Mario Montejo said that we need to become a “science nation.” A day earlier, at the first Go-Negosyo Agriculture Summit headed by Joey Concepcion, and attended by 7,000 participants, Professor Maoi Arroyo said that if we do not transfer technology properly, we will instead become a “sayang nation.”

Scale insects

During the first Aisec National Alumni Conference and Homecoming last Aug. 2, organic agriculture advocate and Food Security Secretary Francis Pangilinan said that he welcomed organic alternatives in addition to chemical neonicotinoids as an antidote to coconut scale insects (cocolisap).

This chemical solution was approved by the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) last June 5. At that time, there was still no organic alternative certified by the Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority (FPA).

Neonicotinoids are banned for health and other reasons in several parts of the world, including several European countries. They, therefore, give us the serious potential problem of losing our global coconut markets. This means further impoverishing our three million farmers, who earn an annual average of only P23,000. Even though there are no traceable chemical residues 21 days after the insecticide injection, a campaign to destroy our global markets can easily and successfully be mounted to downgrade our coconut health benefits.

In fact, a foreign soybean lobby made the false claim that our virgin coconut oil contained much harmful cholesterol. This set back our coconut industry for several years. The same can happen if our competitor countries exploit our possible use of neonicotinoids.

Fortunately, after the June 5 decision advocating neonicotinoids, the FPA approved the organic solution of Cropguard by Chemrez. A PCA deputy administrator said that two other organic alternatives may be approved within this month: M-PEDE by Felicitos Palis and Seacrop by Jose Riga.

Seacrop had already been certified previously. It is now undergoing new registration after it solved the cocolisap problem in seven hectares in Tanauan, Batangas, where the cocolisap started. Other organic alternatives are being offered by scientists such as Edgar Maranan, Rainier Villanueva, Candida Adalla, Teresita Espino, Gonzalo Catan, and Marcella and Mario Navasero.

It is important to know a technology transfer’s impact on incomes. We now await the stand of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) regarding the effect of neonicotinoids on our coconut global market. This will guide both the government and the private sector on whether to use the chemical or organic alternative in addressing cocolisap.

Soy

In addition to technology transfer’s financial impact, its organizational aspects should be considered. Take the case of soy, which can contribute significantly to inclusive growth.

A P50 investment in one kilo of soy can produce 25 kilos in just three months. With simple processing technology transfer, this will yield 200 liters of soy milk and 12.5 kilos of veggie-meat. The combination is worth P10,000. But the organizational aspects of making this technology transfer widespread are lacking.

After the Go-Negosyo Agriculture Summit, Alyansa Agrikultura and Go-Negosyo organized a soy forum last August 2. It was conducted by UPLB Professor Elmer Inicola and Department of Agriculture (DA) National Soy Program coordinator Jennilyn Castaneto (09278716171). The participants saw how simple it was to grow soy beans, and subsequently process them to produce milk and veggie-meat using an ordinary blender.

However, there was a great risk that implementation would not follow. The organizers have since learned from experience. In a similar forum on certified tree nurseries coordinated by the Kapampangan Development Foundation and Alyansa Agrikultura, participants interested in implementation were identified. They then formed an organization and elected a president and a secretary. Because of this, there are now 63 new fruit nurseries that are the beneficiaries of technology transfer that addressed the organizational aspects.

In the same way, the participants who attended the recently concluded soy forum elected president Anicia Papa and secretary Evelyn Bartolome who will take care of the organizational aspects. The first follow-up activity is to visit the free DA National Technology Forum on Aug. 6-8 at the SM Megamall along Edsa, Mandaluyong City where soy will be further discussed.

In addressing scale insects and soy, technology transfer should be treated as a system with financial, organizational and other aspects. It is this systems perspective on technology transfer in other areas that will help us become a “science,” rather than a “sayang” nation.

(The author is chair of Agriwatch, former secretary for Presidential Flagship Programs and Projects, and former undersecretary for agriculture, trade and industry. For inquiries and suggestions, email [email protected] or telefax (02) 8522112).