The Philippines stirs up controversy with genetically modified rice

Published 2021년 9월 27일

Tridge summary

The Philippines has become the first country to approve the commercial production of genetically modified, nutrient-enriched Golden Rice, sparking safety concerns. Developed by the International Rice Research Institute to help curb vitamin A deficiency in developing nations, the move has drawn criticism amid global worries over the safety of genetically modified organisms. Critics argue that the initiative will require an overreliance on pesticides and herbicides, plunging farmers into debt and leading to land takeovers by big corporations. Despite assurances of safety and the project's humanitarian goals, opponents maintain that it will benefit multinational corporations and ignore local farming methods. Farmers are planning protests and seeking support for local and organic farming methods.

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Original content

MANILA -- The Philippines has become the first country to approve the commercial production of genetically modified, nutrient-enriched Golden Rice, sparking safety worries even as the government tries to fight malnutrition and shore up supplies in one of the world's top importers of the staple grain. Golden Rice was developed by the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), headquartered in Laguna, south of Manila, to help curb vitamin A deficiency in developing nations. It is named for the yellow color of the grain. Pilot planting began in the Philippines in 2013, overseen by the Department of Agriculture and its attached agency, the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice). When formal biosafety approval was granted last July, the agriculture department said Golden Rice was a landmark for nutrition in the country, with planting expected in some provinces during the 2022 wet cropping season. Around 1 in 5 children from the poorest communities in the Philippines suffer ...

Source: Nikkei