An award-winning photo of a child with his golden harvest in the Phillipines (2004). Rice is the staple food of the Phillipine people Photo: Alexis de la Vega/Asia Rice Foundation

 The first testing of the ‘golden’ rice is expected to commence in September at the Philippines Rice Research Institute‘s Munoz experimental station.  It is expected that at least two seasons of testing will be conducted to comply with the country’s biosafety requirements.

Rice being the staple food of the Philippine people; it accounts for 40% of all calories intake and is the obvious choice for modification and effective targeting for nutritional benefit to poorer people.   Using biotechnology, scientists insert genes that produce iron and beta carotene, the precursor of vitamin A, into a rice plant. 

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The vitamin A trait derives from maize, which is then transferred to NSIC 128 and PSB RC 82, two of the most popular rice varieties consumed in the Philippines.  These varieties are then inbred to preserve the genetic imprint of the trait which is passed down to next generation seeds even after repeated planting (unlike hybrid seeds which lose this ability after one cropping). 

By Amnah Ali

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