PHL breeds corn variety to fight diabetes, hunger
05/22/2011
The Institute of Plant Breeding-University of the Philippines in Los Baños (IPB-UPLB) is carrying out a white corn seed-production program that aims to enhance food security and help reduce national diabetes incidence.
A staple food for about a fifth of Filipinos, especially in the Visayas and Mindanao areas, white corn could capture a wider market because unlike rice, it has low glycemic index which makes it slower to digest, thus lessening the risk of diabetes.
The Department of Agriculture (DA) is funding the seed production program and is planning to sustain this on a yearly basis.
IPB-UPLB is propagating a recommended variety, the high-yielding IPB Var 6. The variety can have a yield comparable to commercial white corn hybrid.
Based on the national corn testing, the IPB Var 6's yield in Luzon was at an average of 5.84 metric tons (MT) per hectare; in the Visayas, 5.45 MT, and in Mindanao, 4.47 MT.
DA had released P15 million for the seed production program, which produced a total of 10,000 bags at 18 kg each. Then, the department released P25 million for the next phase, good for about 22,000 bags.
Half of seeds produced has already been distributed to DA’s regional offices.
The said DA it will release P7 million yearly over the next five years for its proposed continuity of the seed production program.
Food security, fighting hunger
Aside from its health benefits, white corn will impact significantly in reducing hunger and malnutrition in the uplands.
“Our aim is to bring technologies to the boondocks where many people don’t have much to eat," according to Dr. Artemio M. Salazar, UPLB-IPB deputy director and National Corn Research, Development, and Extension Network head.
“You don’t need capital-intensive irrigation facilities because corn grows where ever there is rain. The only other thing we have to provide to communities is the corn mill.
We also helped develop an inexpensive and mobile mini corn mill, which we believe is a critical component in this effort to provide nutritious and inexpensive food to our compatriots in the far flung rural areas," he added.
The said mill only costs around P100,000, far more affordable than the million-peso price tag for high-capacity machines in the market.
White corn will also have a huge health benefit among residents in Metro Manila and other urban areas where there is high incidence of diabetes.
“Later on we’ll turn over these to the private sector as there is a big demand for it because many Filipinos are now diabetics. And this is the perfect food for diabetics," said Salazar. Diabetes is now a top degenerative disease and a major cause of death in the Philippines.
Compared to rice, white corn has more protein, lysine, tryptophan, dietary fiber, minerals, and antioxidants. The government is now taking initial steps on educating urban consumers on the health benefit and food preparation for white corn, he said.
“Ultimately, this will lessen demand for rice. Just by increasing demand for corn, and we can definitely grow it productively and cheaply, we would no longer have to import rice. This is actually a part of the DA plan," he added. — MRT/LBG, GMA News
A staple food for about a fifth of Filipinos, especially in the Visayas and Mindanao areas, white corn could capture a wider market because unlike rice, it has low glycemic index which makes it slower to digest, thus lessening the risk of diabetes.
The Department of Agriculture (DA) is funding the seed production program and is planning to sustain this on a yearly basis.
IPB-UPLB is propagating a recommended variety, the high-yielding IPB Var 6. The variety can have a yield comparable to commercial white corn hybrid.
Based on the national corn testing, the IPB Var 6's yield in Luzon was at an average of 5.84 metric tons (MT) per hectare; in the Visayas, 5.45 MT, and in Mindanao, 4.47 MT.
DA had released P15 million for the seed production program, which produced a total of 10,000 bags at 18 kg each. Then, the department released P25 million for the next phase, good for about 22,000 bags.
Half of seeds produced has already been distributed to DA’s regional offices.
The said DA it will release P7 million yearly over the next five years for its proposed continuity of the seed production program.
Food security, fighting hunger
Aside from its health benefits, white corn will impact significantly in reducing hunger and malnutrition in the uplands.
“Our aim is to bring technologies to the boondocks where many people don’t have much to eat," according to Dr. Artemio M. Salazar, UPLB-IPB deputy director and National Corn Research, Development, and Extension Network head.
“You don’t need capital-intensive irrigation facilities because corn grows where ever there is rain. The only other thing we have to provide to communities is the corn mill.
We also helped develop an inexpensive and mobile mini corn mill, which we believe is a critical component in this effort to provide nutritious and inexpensive food to our compatriots in the far flung rural areas," he added.
The said mill only costs around P100,000, far more affordable than the million-peso price tag for high-capacity machines in the market.
White corn will also have a huge health benefit among residents in Metro Manila and other urban areas where there is high incidence of diabetes.
“Later on we’ll turn over these to the private sector as there is a big demand for it because many Filipinos are now diabetics. And this is the perfect food for diabetics," said Salazar. Diabetes is now a top degenerative disease and a major cause of death in the Philippines.
Compared to rice, white corn has more protein, lysine, tryptophan, dietary fiber, minerals, and antioxidants. The government is now taking initial steps on educating urban consumers on the health benefit and food preparation for white corn, he said.
“Ultimately, this will lessen demand for rice. Just by increasing demand for corn, and we can definitely grow it productively and cheaply, we would no longer have to import rice. This is actually a part of the DA plan," he added. — MRT/LBG, GMA News
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