The United Nations Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) declared 2004 the "Year of Rice". Because rice contains only few micronutrients, the staple food of 400 million people worldwide causes a deficiency of vitamin A–and 1.2 billion suffer from anaemia owing to iron or zinc deficiencies. These deficiencies could be eliminated with "Golden Rice", a variety that ETH plant scientist Ingo Potrykus, professor emeritus since 1999, developed with the help of genetic technology. In Europe, however, very little note is taken of this pioneering discovery: a plant, which produces a preliminary level of vitamin A–beta-carotene–in its seed that gives the seed its yellowish colour. Even the working circle for research and nutrition, InterNutrition, steadily optimistic with regard to genetic technology, is reserved and reports: "Provitamin A rice: small but positive echo". "Golden Rice" deserves better.

Suspicion in Europe

Estimates of the World Health Organisation (WHO) put the number of children in the world who die as the consequence of vitamin A deficiency at 6.000, every day. This could be prevented. Meanwhile, cultivation of the Golden Rice has been hindered for five years. Led by Greenpeace, environmental and aid organisations demand, on principle, an absolute ban on every form of green genetic technology. Golden Rice was the product at the centre of a widespread propaganda campaign organised by genetic technology lobbyists, according to Greenpeace Switzerland. Moreover, it claims that: the pro vitamin A rice was extolled as "an all-solving remedy" as "a wonder solution" against blindness and death. In the Year of Rice the organisation reacts with customary protest–such as the recent demonstration it mounted in front of the gates of the seed producer, Syngenta, in Basle.

Agricultural authorities say that it must first be proved that the rice has any effect on the human organism. Only then could outdoor trials be allowed. Consumer organisations do not want the rice to be put on the market unless it has been sanctioned by the agricultural authorities. A vicious circle.

The US American National Institute of Health has now shed some light in the darkness. In a special plant-growing chamber at the Texas A&M University, researchers are growing golden rice in heavy hydrogen. The deuterium in this medium can later be detected in the provitamin, the interactions in the body can be studied, and the authorities' criteria fulfilled. The problem is that the trial chamber is very small and the amount of rice that can be produced therefore limited. "We need four harvests, which means two years' work," says Ingo Potrykus, co-developer of the rice and President of the Golden Rice Humanitarian Board. At the end of next year, he hopes, they will have first results: confirmation that 200 grams of rice containing at least 1.6 micrograms of provitamin A per gram, are sufficient to prevent nutrient deficiency. "Nevertheless, we are working on increasing the amount even more," says Potrykus.

Only a reserved echo in Europe–but seen as a chance in Asia: the golden yellow provitamin A rice, co-developed by ETH plant scientist Ingo Potrykus. large

Regional varieties

Plant scientists from the renowned International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in the Philippine Los Baños, the Cuu Long Delta Rice Research Institute in Cantho, Vietnam, the Indian Agriculture Research Institute in Delhi and thirteen other institutions worldwide are involved in the work. The aim is to carefully select certain characteristics of the Golden Rice in order to hybridize them with regional rice varieties. "In this way, it will be possible to produce many locally adapted varieties," says Potrykus. "This would be an advantage for farmers, because each sort of rice would exactly suit each corresponding region."

By the means of a survey researchers also found out that the vitamin A-rich rice is well accepted by the population of the Philippine provinces Laguna and Nueva Ecija–thus refuting Greenpeace's claim that nobody wants this rice. "Consumers were very interested in the idea of micronutrients in rice in principle and no misgivings were voiced with regard to the colour," summarise Roukayatou Zimmermann, Alexander Stein and Matin Quaim from the Centre for Developing Research at the University of Bonn in a recently published scientific article(1). In their report, above all, the authors address the health economical evaluation of Golden Rice.

Not a panacea

The results of an ex ante case study gives the rice full marks. The annual expenditure for technology lies between 16 and 88 million US$, the social benefit between 66 and 133 per cent. "The expected benefits are considerable," but, notwithstanding, Golden Rice will not entirely solve the problem. A similar study is being carried out at the moment in India, and another is planned for Vietnam and Bangladesh – because Golden Rice was still the best that the biotechnological domain of agriculture had to offer according to a commentary in the specialist magazine "Science" (2).

What is still missing are open-air trials and commercial cultivation. The situation in many countries has reached an impasse (cf. above) and the mood given over to negative influence. Nevertheless, the Philippine Committee for Bio-Security has given the green light for a limited commercial cultivation of the rice and first field trials are planned in India before the end of the year. Other countries–China, Vietnam and Bangladesh, for example–will follow. "I'm convinced," says Ingo Potrykus, "that when governments see the benefits, they will support cultivation." But a lot of lobbying remains to be done.

Year of Rice: does it help?

In March 2004 Potrykus spoke at the University of the Vatican on the future of biotechnology. Following his lecture he presented the Pope with a dossier describing the current situation and medium-term plans concerning Golden Rice. Potrykus journeys around a lot holding lectures–above all in Asia. Not, it must be said, because of the International Year of Rice–so far nobody had invited him for that reason. "If the United Nations considers a Year of Rice appropriate then there can be no objection. A lot of talks are given, lots of printed paper produced–but I doubt whether it helps," the plant scientist told the "Berner Zeitung". He also regretted that the protest in Europe continued to smother a real public debate on Golden Rice.