Dietary micronutrient deficiencies, such as the lack of vitamin A, iodine, iron or zinc, are a major source of morbidity (increased susceptibility to disease) and mortality worldwide. These deficiencies affect particularly children, impairing their immune systems and normal development, causing disease and ultimately death. The best way to avoid micronutrient deficiencies is by way of a varied diet, rich in vegetables, fruits and animal products.

The second best approach, especially for those who cannot afford a varied diet, is by way of nutrient-dense staple crops. Sweet potatoes, for example, are available as varieties that are either rich or poor in provitamin A. Those producing and accumulating provitamin A (orange-fleshed sweet potatoes) are called biofortified*, as opposed to the white-fleshed sweet potatoes, which do not accumulate provitamin A. In this case, what needs to be done is to introduce the biofortified varieties to people used to the white-fleshed varieties. Unfortunately, there are no natural provitamin A-containing rice varieties.

Rice plants produce β-carotene (provitamin A) in green tissues but not in the endosperm (the edible part of the seed). The outer coat of the dehusked grains—the so-called aleurone layer—contains a number of valuable nutrients, e.g. vitamin B and nutritious fats, but no provitamin A. These nutrients are lost with the bran fraction in the process of milling and polishing. While it would be desirable to keep those nutrients, the fatty component is affected by oxidative processes that make the grain turn rancid. Thus, unprocessed rice—also known as brown rice—is not apt for long-term storage.

Even though all required genes to produce provitamin A are present in the grain, some of them are turned off during development. In rice-based societies, the absence of β-carotene in rice grains manifests itself in a marked incidence of blindness, disease susceptibility and premature death of small children.

The right to share in the benefits of science

Article 27 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that

1. Everyone has the right freely to participate in the cultural life of the community, to enjoy the arts and to share in scientific advancement and its benefits.
2. Everyone has the right to the protection of the moral and material interests resulting from any scientific, literary or artistic production of which he is the author.

In 2008, 13.3 million farmers in 25 countries, 90 percent of them smallholders in less developed countries, were growing genetically modified crops on 125 million hectares, a number that has been constantly increasing for the last 12 years (see also ISAAA report).

«Damned if you do, damned if you don't»

That is the paradox situation faced by many scientists working to solve nutrition problems using Green Biotechnology. Critics of the technology often mention the lack of traits that address nutritional deficits in humans rather than those that are of more interest to farmers and seed companies. Golden Rice has often been criticised for not advancing faster in establishing its capacity to reduce vitamin A deficiency. Now, after years of thorough analytical work, the project is being criticised for risking lives by feeding humans with a genetically modified crop not yet approved for human consumption.

The shocking fact is that more than 10 million children under the age of five are dying every year. A high proportion of those children die victim of common diseases that could be avoided through a better nutrition. This number has been equated with a ‘Nutritional Holocaust’ (follow this link for the citation). Incredibly enough, these numbers are not bad enough to impress technophobes, who won't stop even for a moment to evaluate the potential of this technology to substantially reduce the number of children deaths. It has been calculated that the life of 25 percent of those children could be spared by providing them with crops biofortified with provitamin A (beta-carotene) and zinc.

Quantum leap:
Golden Rice accumulates provitamin A (β-carotene) in the grain

In Golden Rice two genes have been inserted into the rice genome by genetic engineering, to account for the turned-off genes. This intervention leads in turn to the production and accumulation of β-carotene in the grains. The intensity of the golden colour is an indicator of the concentration of β-carotene in the endosperm.

Since a prototype Golden Rice was developed in 1999, new lines with higher β-carotene content have been generated. Our goal is to be capable of providing the recommended daily allowance of vitamin A—in the form of β-carotene—in 100-200 g of rice, which corresponds to the daily rice consumption of children in rice-based societies, such as India, Vietnam or Bangladesh. In other countries, Golden Rice could still be a valuable complement to children's diets, thus contributing to the reduction of clinical and sub-clinical vitamin A deficiency-related diseases.

According to the World Health Organization, dietary vitamin A deficiency (VAD) causes some 250,000 to 500,000 children to go blind each year. Blindness and corneal afflictions are but indicators of more severe underlying health problems: more than half the children who lose their sight die within a year of becoming blind. VAD compromises the immune systems of approximately 40 percent of children under the age of five in the developing world, greatly increasing the risk of severe illnesses from common childhood infections.

In the most remote rural areas Golden Rice could constitute a major contribution towards sustainable vitamin A delivery mechanisms. To achieve this goal a strong, concerted, and interdisciplinary effort is needed. This effort must include scientists, breeders, farmers, regulators, policy-makers and extensionists. The latter will play a central role in educating farmers and consumers as to their options. While the most desirable option woud be a varied and sufficient diet, this goal is not always achievable, at least not in the short term. The reasons are manifold, ranging from tradition to geographical and economical limitations. Golden Rice is a step in the right direction in that it does not create new dependencies or displace traditional cuisine.

Golden Rice will reach those who need it at no additional cost

Those who need the product of this new technology most are those who can least afford buying a mixed diet, rich in essential nutrients. This has been taken into consideration by the creators of Golden Rice technology, Professors Peter Beyer and Ingo Portrykus, and the crop protection company Syngenta, who have donated it for humanitarian use in developing countries, free of charge.

The Golden Rice Humanitarian Board encourages further research to determine how the technology may play a part in the ongoing global effort to fight VAD in poor countries. While Golden Rice is an exciting development, it is important to keep in mind that malnutrition is to a great extent rooted in political, economic and cultural issues that will not be solved by a technical fix. Yet Golden Rice offers people in developing countries a valuable and affordable choice in the fight against malnutrition.

This site is maintained by the Golden Rice Humanitarian Board for the purpose of providing information on the background and progress of the Golden Rice Humanitarian Project.

Eat orange!*

*Welch RM and Graham RD (2004) Breeding for micronutrients in staple food crops from a human nutrition perspective. J Exp Bot 55:353-364.

*Eat orange! A motto being promoted by HarvestPlus, and which we fully support.