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
is a variety of rice (Oryza sativa)
is genetically modified
provides pro-vitamin A (precursors of beta
carotene)
Two Varieties of Golden Rice
Golden Rice
(2000)
precursors of beta
carotene (provitamin
A)
Golden Rice 2
(2005)
23 times more beta
carotene
Vitamin A Deficiency Map
Vitamin A deficiency leads to
blindness malnutrition
Controversy
Commercial
biotech companies
vs
Environmental
and anti-globalist
groups
Causes of vitamin A deficiency
poverty
loss of biodiversity in food crops
+ corporate control of agriculture
based on GM foods.
lack of varied diet containing vitamin A
Summary
Creation of golden rice
Reasons
Environmentalists and anti-globalists
against GM rice
Some causes of Vitamin A deficiency
SOLUTION?
Combination of various methods of vitamin A
supplementation
Variety of foods rich in vitamin A
Vitamin A supplemented
by injection
orally
GM rice ­ available for human consumption