Farmers in the Philippine province of Antique reaped 67 tonnes of so-called golden rice from 17 fields in the first “substantial” harvest of the GMO variety that contains beta-carotene, which is used by the body to create vitamin A. Cultivation will expand to an additional 17 provinces in the next step of development and testing of the rice, said ETH Zurich, a science and technology university in Switzerland and a financial backer of golden rice, on Monday.
“With more farmers being supplied with seeds, efficacy studies will determine the degree to which GR2 consumption prevents vitamin A deficiency,” said ETH, referring to variety created in 2005. “The aim is for the rice to go on sale locally once the research is complete.”
The Philippine government approved commercial production of golden rice last year. Developers say the beta-carotene, normally not present in rice, will help prevent vitamin A deficiency. In rice-eating South Asia, millions of people do not consume enough vitamin A, which protects against infections and disease and aids eyesight.
An ETH professor, Ingo Potrykus, and Peter Beyer of the University of Freiburg began work on golden rice in the early 1990s as a way to fight malnutrition. In 1999, they presented a prototype of the bio-fortified food grain. Golden rice became a lightning rod in the battle over genetically modified crops, which prolonged the review and approval process. “I’m very relieved to finally see cultivation commence after so many years of production delays,” said Potrykus in a statement.