Here Come the GMOs, Rice Up!:
The real score behind the approval of a “lifesaver”
The revolutionary breakthrough of the virus-resistant Rainbow papaya. The life-changing existence of herbicide-resistant Bt-corn. The combative pest resistance of Bt-cotton. Three completely different plants with three completely different innovative characteristics, yet they all have one thing in common: they’re all classified as Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs), organisms that possess genetic material that has been deliberately altered for a particular purpose. To date, only ten GM plant species have made it to the list of genetically modified crops that have been commercialized across the globe with official approval, but that list of GM crops might just get longer. A few weeks ago, the Philippines became the first country in the world to approve another genetically modified specimen, and it’s said to have the potential to save the world: the beta carotene-abundant Golden Rice.
First developed in 1999, the production of this genetically modified crop started out with the Golden Rice Project — an initiative proposed by Swiss professors Ingo Potrykus and Peter Beyer in an effort to create a biofortified crop that could combat Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) in developing countries. Due to the global burden of VAD, given that 250 million preschool children are affected by VAD worldwide and about 2.7 million children die annually because of it, the proposal of a sustainable biofortification approach needed to be established. Hence, they genetically engineered a variety of short-grain rice to produce beta carotene, an organic pigment that is not naturally found in rice. When metabolized by the human body, the beta carotene from the golden rice would be converted to Vitamin A and help VAD-affected individuals gain healthier skin, immune systems, and vision.
Potentially, golden rice sounded like a game-changer. When the Golden Rice Project was announced, it was an exciting solution for developing countries where diets were mostly dependent on rice and other carbohydrate foods that lacked Vitamin A. However, the production of GMOs at the time was met with varying degrees of opposition mostly due to a perception of the general public that exists up to this day — that changing any organism’s DNA is unnatural or unhealthy. Golden rice wasn’t an exception. Organizations such as Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth came at an opposition to the proposal, mainly due to concerns regarding the project’s accessibility, sustainability, as well as social and cultural roadblocks. Meanwhile, others noted that the development of the product, which is a GM crop, would only benefit large corporations and lessen opportunities for more cost-effective nutrition programs.
The Philippines’ approval for commercial cultivation of golden rice was a major factor of the crop’s development. After a long period of development and testing headed by the Department of Agriculture – Philippine Rice Research Institute (DA-PhilRice), comprehensive quality reviews finally deemed the GM crop worthy of receiving the green light for mass production. According to the International Rice Research Institute, around one in five children from the poorest communities in the Philippines suffer from childhood blindness and weak immunity due to VAD and only two out of ten Filipino households get sufficient quantities of vitamin A in their daily diet, making this event a true milestone in Philippine agricultural biotechnology history.
While its benefits as the new and improved humanitarian crop are looking bright, the long-term effects of golden rice on farmers and consumerism remain uncertain. For the crop to reach undernourished kids in local communities, it would have to be planted and grown everywhere by commercial farmers and in accessible markets. Doing so would require subsidies for farmers without government-sponsored expenses. Moreover, additional assessments also need to take into account the potential impacts it would incur on the socio-economic sector, including indigenous peoples, culture, ethics, and most importantly, local farmers, who are faced with the possibility of a loss of market due to inevitable crop contamination of genetically modified species.
With every new development comes a challenge — a statement that definitely holds true for the products of genetic engineering. Although the intention of creating genetically modified crops is always heralded loud and clear, it is essential to see the fine, gray line that exists between the benefits and the risks. Remember that what it contains are the lives of local farmers and producers; and stand by them, for they are the people who truly are the sole reason for putting the health and consumption of the Filipino people in place.
