GM RICE
                                                   and its potential

Riceleezza Conde

conde@ricegrain.edu

                                              GM RICE
                                                   and its potential

1. Creation of golden rice

2. Why golden rice?

3. Controversial issues

4. Vitamin A deficiency - causes

5. Solution?



                                            Golden rice

n       is a variety of rice (Oryza sativa)

n       is genetically modified

    n        provides pro-vitamin A (precursors of beta  carotene)

                                    Two Varieties of Golden Rice

n       Golden Rice             (2000)       

        precursors of beta carotene (pro-vitamin A)                     

n       Golden Rice 2         (2005) 

       23 times more beta carotene                 

                                         Vitamin A Deficiency Map

                                      Vitamin A deficiency leads to

n       blindness



n       malnutrition



                                            Controversy

                                   Causes of vitamin A deficiency



n      poverty

n      loss of biodiversity in food crops

    + corporate control of agriculture based on GM foods.  

n      lack of varied diet containing vitamin A



                                              Summary

n      Creation of golden rice

n      Reasons

n      Environmentalists and anti-globalists  against GM rice

n      Some causes of Vitamin A deficiency





                                             SOLUTION?

Combination of various methods of vitamin A supplementation