Ever wondered how one food on your plate can fix global hunger - Yes, we have one such buddy, and it's Golden Rice, so get ready to learn more-
What's Golden Rice first -
Golden rice is a genetically modified rice (Oryza sativa) engineered to produce beta-carotene, a precursor to Vitamin A, giving it a distinctive orange hue. This crop aims to combat vitamin A deficiency in children in low-income countries that rely on rice as a staple food, but it has generated significant controversy.
Why did a simple food like rice go under medication?
Vitamin A is a vital nutrient that the human body requires and is exclusively obtained through dietary sources. This essential vitamin is predominantly found in fatty fish, particularly in fish-liver oils, as well as in various animal products such as milk fat, eggs, and liver. While vitamin A itself is not present in plant-based foods, many fruits and vegetables contain beta-carotene and other pigments that the body can convert into vitamin A.
In low-income and developing countries, access to these nutrient-rich foods can be limited, significantly heightening the risk of vitamin A deficiency. This deficiency poses a serious public health challenge, affecting millions of children annually and leading to critical developmental issues and, in severe cases, death. According to the World Health Organization, around 250 million people globally are affected by vitamin A deficiency, including 40 percent of children under five in developing nations. This deficiency is the leading cause of childhood blindness, and tragically, half of the children who lose their eyesight due to this deficiency do not survive beyond a year.
Who was the mastermind behind this project:
In 1982, German scientist Ingo Potrykus began researching a grain-based solution for vitamin A deficiency, focusing on rice, a staple for over 3 billion people. Since rice lacks beta-carotene, he faced challenges and explored the genetic pathways for its synthesis. In the 1990s, he partnered with Peter Beyer, and with funding from the Rockefeller Foundation, they advanced the project. This required extensive engineering involving the addition of genes from daffodils and bacteria to rice DNA. Golden rice first expressed beta-carotene in 1999, with results published in 2000.
The inventors aimed to legally protect golden rice as a humanitarian project rather than for commercial use. They licensed it to Syngenta, which established a humanitarian board to grant noncommercial licenses to public research facilities and adapt the GMO for local climates. Syngenta agreed to license the crop for free to farmers in the Global South earning under $10,000 annually, allowing them to regrow it after each harvest.
Growing golden rice requires the same methods as regular rice and does not significantly differ in yield. A study suggests it can provide up to 50% of a child's daily vitamin A needs.
As said first, this invention had controversy wrapped around it;
Golden rice was still under development in the early 21st century, requiring safety assessments and regulatory approval before use. While Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the U.S. deemed it safe to consume between 2017 and 2019, they did not approve its cultivation. In 2021, the Philippines became the first country to allow commercial cultivation. By 2023, over a dozen countries, including Bangladesh, China, Indonesia, India, South Africa, and Vietnam, had joined the Golden Rice Humanitarian Board.
Greenpeace initiated a campaign around golden rice shortly after its development, highlighting concerns that the modified grain could potentially affect traditional rice varieties and impact food and financial security for rural farmers. The organization, along with others, has suggested that funds allocated for the development of golden rice might have been more effectively utilized in direct efforts to address vitamin A deficiency. Additionally, they emphasize the presence of social and cultural challenges, such as dietary preferences, that might affect the acceptance of golden rice in certain regions.
Critics have raised safety concerns regarding the consumption of golden rice despite extensive testing showing that it is as safe to eat as non-genetically engineered rice, with no increased toxicity or allergen levels. Some of the opposition to golden rice has escalated into extreme reactions, with unfounded claims that the agrochemical company Monsanto was behind its invention and that the crop is being imposed on developing countries as a means to gain support for GMOs. This opposition has led to unfortunate incidents, including the destruction of golden rice fields by anti-GMO activists.
There are still a few countries that have not yet passed legislation for golden rice due to various issues. The controversy surrounding this topic has persisted for many years and cannot be summarized in a brief blog post, as it involves business tactics and political leaders as well.
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