Last updated on September 29, 2013
Rice is the major dietary staple for almost half of humanity, but white rice grains lack vitamin A. Research scientists Ingo Potrykus and Peter Beyer and their teams developed a rice variety whose grains accumulate β-carotene. It took them, in collaboration with IRRI, 25 years to develop and test varieties that express sufficient quantities of the precursor that a few ounces of cooked rice can provide enough β-carotene to eliminate the morbidity and mortality of vitamin A deficiency. It took time, as well, to obtain the right to distribute Golden Rice seeds, which contain patented molecular constructs, free of charge to resource-poor farmers.
The rice has been ready for farmers to use since the turn of the 21st century, yet it is still not available to them. Escalating requirements for testing have stalled its release for more than a decade. IRRI and PhilRice continue to patiently conduct the required field tests with Golden Rice, despite the fact that these tests are driven by fears of “potential” hazards, with no evidence of actual hazards. Introduced into commercial production over 17 years ago, GM crops have had an exemplary safety record. And precisely because they benefit farmers, the environment, and consumers, GM crops have been adopted faster than any other agricultural advance in the history of humanity.
New technologies often evoke rumors of hazard. These generally fade with time when, as in this case, no real hazards emerge. But the anti-GMO fever still burns brightly, fanned by electronic gossip and well-organized fear-mongering that profits some individuals and organizations.
The emphasis is mine, from an excellent editorial in the September 20 issue of Science signed by a veritable Who’s Who of science.
In the meantime the Phillipines have already more than halved vitamin a deficiency with no golden rice. Orange fleshed sweet potato has produced excellent results in reducing vitamin A deficiency in Africa. As for anti-gmo campaigns benefitting a few people that is a bit rich. Doubtless that some people/companies benefit, but surely it is peanuts compared to the benefit from selling GMOs of the 4 seeds companies who hold 70% of the market captive .
” And precisely because they benefit farmers, the environment, and consumers” . It is very unclear how. Yields in the US and Europe are comparable for corn, while american have had to dump more chemicals on their crops because GMOs caused superweeds to take over plantations because of evolutionary pressure. Also, the vast majority of GMO crops planted in the US are from 1 variety. So no biodiversity in the world of GMOs. Cue one single killer disease and the entire production is in danger. Does it sound smart to put all your eggs in a same, monopolistic basket? Surely the monopoly of inputs in GMOs must appall the economist in you…
How are consumers benefited I wonder? Except perhaps by “cheap” food? which is cheap only for the wallet because it has been proved to be very expensive for the environment indeed…
Also, a few innacuracies in the editorial, courtesy of GMWatch: Golden rice was not ready since the turn of the century, hell, it is not ready yet!
“Back in 2000 all that had happened was that there had been a proof of concept for β-carotene being introduced into rice. But the amount was small and the variety was not one normally grown by famers in the target countries for Golden Rice adoption.
http://gmwatch.org/index.php/news/archive/2013/15023-golden-rice-myths
These problems have taken many years to resolve, particularly in the case of making Indica varieties (rather than the Japonica varieties which had been genetically engineered) available for farmers to grow. In fact, the agronomic testing of a Golden Rice Indica variety didn’t even begin in the Philippines until as recently as late 2010, i.e. a full decade after the editorial says that Golden Rice was ready for farmers to grow.
http://gmwatch.org/index.php/articles/gm-reports/15024”
http://gmwatch.org/index.php/news/archive/2013/15078
Why, you should submit all this to Science, Martin!