Filipino Scientists Speak up: "We don't need IRRI!"

Manila, Philippines - 22 October 2002

In a press release today, scientists belonging to the Resistance and Solidarity Against Agrochemical TNCs (RESIST!) again slammed the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and said that there is no need for the IRRI to exist in the Philippines.

Dr. Giovanni Tapang, President of AGHAM - an organization of scientists and science workers - and co-convenor of the RESIST stated that, "Filipino scientists are more than willing to held in the development of Philippine agriculture that serves Filipino farmers and pro-Filipino interests."

The statement came after IRRI continue to retrench Filipino workers saying that there is a need to lay-off its Filipino manpower due to lack of funding. In a media briefing for the upcoming CGIAR annual general meeting, IRRI deputy director general reasoned out the backing out of Japan as one of its funders. Japan stopped funding IRRI because it has established its own rice research institute.

MASIPAG (Magsasaka at Siyentipiko para sa Pag-unlad ng Agrikultura) National Coordinator Manny Yap for his part said that the current development of rice farming through MASIPAG's programs not only helped local rice farmers but also preserved rice genetic resources of the country, "Unlike IRRI which, after the Green Revolution and its introduction of the high yielding varieties nearly wiped-out the country's traditional varieties."

Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) Chairperson meanwhile lambasted IRRI for giving short-funding as an excuse. "In fact despite retrenching more or less 1,500 of Filipino workers since 1989, it is still hiring other employees to replace the old ones. IRRI is doing nothing good for Filipino farmers and Philippine agriculture. It continues to be the number 1 perpetrator of anti-farmer rice research in the Philippines. Science and technology should be re-oriented to cater to the needs of the farmers and the people."

The RESIST maintained that through the firm coordination of farmers, scientists and other groups, the country could establish its own rice research institute that could and would boost Philippine agriculture and productivity citing the experiences of MASIPAG and other groups.

The RESIST also announced the holding of an international protest in the Philippines at the event of the annual general meeting of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) - one of the funders of IRRI.***