Golden Rice: A Case Study

The Problem: Vitamin A deficiency is a problem in over half of all countries worldwide, and the main cause of preventable blindness in children. People with vitamin A deficiencies are at increased risk of death from common childhood infections. Vitamin A deficiency creates risks for pregnant women because both the fetus and the mother need a lot of this nutrient. Current strategies for treating this deficiency, including distributing vitamin A supplements, have decreased mortality by 23%. Distributing these supplements can be expensive, so people are looking for alternative solutions.

A Potential Solution: People can get vitamin A from their diets, or they can convert -carotene (beta-carotene) from their diets into vitamin A. Scientists have engineered rice varieties that produce -carotene. Researchers chose rice because it is a staple food for many people worldwide—in fact, rice is the fourth-leading food crop worldwide.

This new variety of rice was transformed with two daffodil genes and one bacterial gene. These genes produce enzymes that build -carotene inside the rice kernels. The -carotene gives the rice kernels a yellow appearance. This color earned the rice the name “golden rice.”

People originally had many questions about this approach. Would this rice taste the same? How easy is it to grow these rice plants? Is the -carotene produced in the rice kernels properly converted into vitamin A when people eat it? Can this plant help prevent blindness? Many of these questions have since been researched and answered. A study in 2004 showed that these plants grow under the same conditions and produce the same yields as traditional rice. In 2009, a small study demonstrated that the -carotene in these rice plants is efficiently converted into vitamin A in humans. Based on the results of this study, it is estimated that a cup of this new variety of rice could help people meet 50–90% of the recommended daily allowance (RDA) for vitamin A.

The Shortcomings of This Solution: This new variety of rice was developed in 2000. Why has it not become more widely distributed? One concern with genetically engineered plants is that they are often under commercial licenses. This means that the farmers have to pay the patent owner fees to plant the seeds. The Golden Rice Humanitarian Board currently licenses Golden Rice. This license agreement lets resource-poor farmers in developing nations grow these plants free of charge. Current challenges to widespread use of this crop include government regulations, which require extensive and costly field testing, and public suspicions about genetically engineered foods.

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Golden Rice: A Case Study

Golden Rice does not provide 100% of the RDA for vitamin A. The healthiest approach to combat vitamin A deficiency is for people to eat a balanced diet. A balanced diet requires access to a variety of fruits and vegetables. Focusing on developing new rice varieties may take away resources that could encourage and support the planting of a variety of local fruits and vegetables.

Potential Solutions: Improving individual crops may ease some of the symptoms of malnutrition. Providing the means for all people to eat a balanced diet would solve the cause of malnutrition. This strategy requires more equal distribution of worldwide resources. Political and humanitarian solutions include donating food to areas facing natural disasters, educating farmers about more effective farming practices, and increasing the availability of basic healthcare.

Education is another effective strategy. For example, Can we ensure a balanced diet for all individuals breast milk is a natural source of vitamin A. Educating worldwide? women and promoting breastfeeding can help alleviate vitamin A deficiencies in children.

The Shortcomings of This Solution: Humanitarian and political solutions can be expensive and require a lot of dedication and coordination. Coordinating these large efforts has been a challenge in the past.

Conclusion: Should we focus our efforts on one of these solutions? Should we attempt more than one strategy simultaneously? What other potential solutions are available? Challenging questions such as these are currently being discussed. What do you think is the best approach and why?

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