A Cure to Global Vitamin A Deficiency?
Outlining the Pros and Cons of Golden Rice
Source of more than 1/5 of all human consumed calories on the planet, rice is one of the most popular crops in cuisines around the world. Now, is this good or bad? For some, rice is just popular in their culture or a supplement to a variety of other foods and vitamins. But for others, due to economic reasons, it’s the only thing they eat and the sole crop they rely on for sustenance.
This eating habit, solely based on carbs, often results in malnutrition and vitamin A deficiency. One type of malnutrition that is common amongst people with this diet is kwashiorkor, which occurs in people who have a severe protein deficiency. The effects of this disease include bulging of the abdomen and the inability to grow or gain weight. Common in sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia, malnourishment, and vitamin A deficiency is a major problem that needs to be fixed.
Since normal rice isn’t the solution, scientists said well what if we genetically modify it? Named “Golden Rice” after its yellowish color, the now vitamin A enriched rice has proven successful in India, Vietnam, and some parts of the US. Golden Rice has been seen as positive in some areas and has received backlash in others. Below is a list of the Pros and Cons of this genetically modified crop:
Pros
- The World Health Organization stated that 250,000 to 500,000 vitamin A-deficient children become blind every year, half of them dying within 12 months of losing their sight (Washington Post). Golden Rice has the potential to save thousands of these lives and fix this global problem.
- The rice contains a high level of beta-carotene in which the human body then converts into vitamin A.
- Golden rice may significantly decrease disease morbidity due to VAD in developing countries
- Biotechnology could improve the productivity and sustainability of developing countries’ agricultural systems, supply greater quantities, and availability of micronutrients, and reduce large quantities of chemical inputs in both economically and environmentally sustainable ways
- golden rice has a more advantageous bioconversion rate compared to any other biofortified crop
- supplies 50% of the Recommended Dietary Allowance of vitamin A from a cup of rice consumed daily
- Food Allergy Resource and Research Program of the University of Nebraska researched the rice in 2006 and found that no allergenic properties were found in the proteins from the new genes
Cons
- there are multiple recourses for malnutrition planned and currently in place that are cheaper and do not require GMOs making golden rice unnecessary
- golden rice produces too little beta-carotene to rid of VAD, solely 1.6 micrograms per gram of rice and 10% of the daily requirement of vitamin A. The amount of golden rice needed for sufficient vitamin A intake would be too great in comparison to the rice available in developing countries
- Some other concerns include: the cost to set up, technology transfer, the accessibility of the project, the sustainability and credibility of the rice, and stable support from governments
- concern over the fact that the Golden Rice Project has partners in the biotech industry and for-profit companies
- commercialization could make the rice subject to tax
- Rice is one of the thirstiest crops: farmers need at least 2,000 liters of water to make one kilogram of rice. Wouldn’t this GMC just promote more use of this unsustainable crop with a fastly growing population?
What do you think? Should this crop be used?
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