Corn seeds with weed management traits receive bio-safety certificate

“We are pleased that Vietnamese farmers are a step closer to accessing corn seeds with insect protection and weed management traits, which have brought significant benefit to millions of farmers around the world since their launch,” said Le Huy Ham, director general at Agricultural Genetics Institute.

“The move is an encouraging step for the emerging plant biotechnology industry in Vietnam, in line with the country’s efforts towards sustainable agriculture and rural development as 90 per cent of the world’s farmers who have chosen and benefited from biotech-enhanced seeds are small and resource-poor farmers in developing countries,” he added.

According to Sa Thi Han, chairwoman of Chieng Khoa Commune Farmer Union in the northern mountainous province of Son La’s Moc Chau district, most households in the commune earn a living from maize cultivation. Corn has become the core cash crop which contributes to the significant poverty reduction in this area, especially for the ethnic minorities.

“An average household here owns more than one hectare and some own more than 10 hectares. Due to labor constraints and the large cultivation area, most of farmers can not spare enough time to take good care of the crops, leading to low yield,” said Han.

“If the corn seeds with insect protection and weed management traits could offer us a choice to help mitigate the yield loss caused from corn borer pests, reduce insecticide sprays, and offer efficiency and convenience in round-the-season weed control, many farmers would be more than happy to try them,” she noted.

To be granted bio-safety certificate, each genetically modified crop must be carefully reviewed and assessed in term of risks by an expert team. It must then be approved by the National Bio-Safety Council, confirming that it is safe to the environment and biological diversification in accordance with the procedures regulated in Vietnam’s Circular No. 08/2013/TT-BTNMT.

The development and finalisation of the legal framework for assessing the safety of genetically modified plants in Vietnam has been conducted in a systematic and science-based manner that incorporates the advantages of the world's advanced safety management systems for plant biotechnologies.

Diverse global scientific and regulatory authorities such as the UN World Health Organization (WHO), UN Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), Royal Academy of Sciences (UK), French Academy of Medicine, and the British Medical Association have found biotech crops as safe as conventional crops; and stated that foods from biotech crops are thoroughly evaluated through comprehensive testing for food, feed and environmental safety.