Plant breeders at the Philippine Rice Research Institute
(PhilRice), the country’s lead in rice research and development, are developing
micronutrient-rich varieties to help lessen hidden hunger, the country’s
leading nutritional problem.
During the recent 7th National Biotechnology Week, Dr.
Antonio A. Alfonso, director of the Crop
Biotechnology Center
of the Department of Agriculture, said that rice fortified with iron, zinc, and
beta carotene are in the pipeline to help reduce the mortality and morbidity
rates caused by micronutrient deficiencies.
“We have replicated field trials of iron and zinc-rich rice
in the experimental fields of PhilRice and in the International Rice Research
Institute. With biofortification, we expect that our staple food will soon
contain 50-80 percent more of iron and zinc,” the 2008 Outstanding Young
Scientist said.
Alfonso said biofortification or the method of breeding crops
to increase their nutritional value is a sustainable and effective way of
fighting hidden hunger as it facilitates easy and fast access to better
nutrition.
“Access is crucial in reducing micronutrient deficiency
because it has no visible signs, making the ‘sufferer’ unaware of his
condition. Because rice is a daily main component of our diet, more people
especially in the rural areas, will have immediate and cheaper source of these
micronutrients,” he explained.
Alfonso noted that 1.7 million Filipino children, mostly in
the remote areas, suffer from vitamin A deficiency while 1 in every 10 pregnant
women lacks vitamin A. Globally, Alfonso said vitamin A deficiency causes the
death of 670,000 children every year while 350,000 suffer from blindness.
“These health conditions, especially of children, drive us
to improve our rice varieties so they could contain the Golden Rice trait, or
the ability of rice to produce high amount of beta-carotene in its grain. Let’s
note that the body only converts beta-carotene into vitamin A only when
needed,” he stressed.
In developing the beta-carotene-rich rice, Alfonso stressed
that the variety is also being evaluated to ensure that it will be safe for
health and to the environment.
“Golden Rice will only be available to the market if studies
would prove its effectiveness in improving the vitamin A status of the
consumers. Safety and efficacy are the main requirements for this new type of
rice to be released,” he said.
Should Golden Rice be released, the plant breeder said that
its seeds could be repeatedly used by farmers and its cost will be similar to
other rice varieties as the technology had been donated for public good. He
also added that Golden Rice will be cultivated just like the popular and
ordinary rice being grown by the farmers.(PhilRice)
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