Dr Chito Medina, national coordinator of farmer-scientist group MASIPAG, said golden rice is risky for health and the environment.
1. Golden rice entry blocked
2. Philippine organic farmers urge end to GMO rice
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1. Golden rice entry blocked
Rio N. Araja
Manila Standard Today, 4 May 2014
http://manilastandardtoday.com/mobile/2014/05/01/golden-rice-entry-blocked/
A group of farmers has renewed the protest against the introduction of golden rice, a new variety bred to combat vitamin A deficiency among millions of children and pregnant women around the world.
At a news conference in Quezon City, Dr. Chito Medina, national coordinator of Magsasaka at Siyentipiko Para sa Pag-unlad ng Agrikultura (MASIPAG), said golden rice is risky for health and the environment.
“There are no[t] enough studies to ensure the safety of golden rice to human,” he told the Manila Standard.
Golden rice could not solve the problem of vitamin A deficiency, he said, adding “the truth is there are a lot of existing solutions to fight such deficiency.”
In August last year, about 400 farmers and environmentalists stormed a demonstration field in Camarines Norte, to uproot the golden rice being tested by International Rice Research Institute and the Department of Agriculture.
“There are food sources that are rich vitamin A and are readily available,” Medina said.
To plant the genetically engineered rice, or the golden rice, is a real threat to the environment, and therefore, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources must step into the issue, he noted.
“The Department of Health must also act to conduct a study on the health impact of golden rice consumption.”
The protesters flocked to the office of Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala, urging him to cancel the golden rice program.
“At present, multi-location field trials in the country are almost completed, and feed testing on the people would commence after the approval of DA’s Bureau of Plant Industry,” Medina said.
“Golden rice must be tested first for surrogate animals, such as rats, before human consumption is allowed.”
Following the 2013 attack on the golden farm site, IRRI vowed to proceed with field trials, targetting 2015 for commercialization.
Bruce Tolentino, IRRI spokesman, told SciDev.Net that he was dismayed that farmers had to practise vandalism to block the development of a crop that will reduce vitamin A deficiency, a major cause of blindness among Asia’s preschool children.
Golden rice takes its color from from beta carotene, a precursor of vitamin A.
In a report published by American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 2009, the the daily consumption of one cup of golden rice can provide up to 50 per cent of the adult recommended daily allowance of vitamin A.
According to the World Health Organization, 1.7 million children across Asia aged six months to five years are suffering from vitamin A deficiency. Bangladesh and the Philippines, where IRRI is conducting golden rice field trials, both have serious vitamin A deficiency levels.
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2. Philippine organic farmers urge end to GMO rice
Keith Bacongco
UCA News, April 23, 2014
http://www.ucanews.com/news/philippine-organic-farmers-urge-end-to-gmo-rice/70765
* Our techniques and varieties are better, advocates say
Go Organic Mindanao, a network of organic food advocates, yesterday launched a signature campaign urging the Philippines government to stop the commercialization of the genetically modified rice variety known as "golden rice".
Fr Joy Pelino, head of Marbel diocese's social action center, urged Mindanao farmers and residents "to remember to put our communities and the environment first before the interests of biotech firms and agri-corporations."
Dagohoy Mangaway, a farmer and acitivist, expressed concern that the introduction of "golden rice" will destroy the purity of organic rice farms.
Mangaway, a member of Go Organic in Davao City, said more than 50 varieties of native Philippine rice are grown throughout Mindanao using indigenous organic farming techniques.
He said these are often marketed as heirloom rice and command high prices in the market.
Geonathan Barro of the farmers group Masipag said if golden rice only aims to address Vitamin A deficiency, "there are several sources of Vitamin A readily available in backyards."
Loreto Cabaya, provincial board member of North Cotabato, said the promotion of golden rice conflicts with the government's program to promote organic agriculture.
In 2010, the government passed the Organic Agriculture Act, which aims to promote organic agricultural practices and bans the use of genetically modified organisms.
Nasser Ali of the Carmen Agricultural Resources Development-Producers Cooperative, said farmers in North Cotabato do not need golden rice because the province is rich in indigenous rice varieties.
"Golden rice will not prosper here because of the strong commitment of the provincial government to promote organic agricultural practices," Ali told ucanews.com.
The online campaign dubbed "Stand Up For Your Rice" noted that the genetically modified rice variety will cause irreversible damage to health, food security, environment, culture and communities.
More than 60 countries have already imposed a moratorium or outright bans on genetically-modified organisms. The Philippines, however, does not have a bio-safety law or the capacity and resources to conduct robust risk assessments for genetically modified organisms intended for field testing and propagation.