November 2019

Golden Rice is the name of a rice that has been genetically engineered to produce beta-carotene, which the body can convert into vitamin A. It is being promoted as a solution to the serious problem of vitamin A deficiency (VAD) in countries such as the Philippines and Bangladesh but Golden Rice is not yet ready for farmers to grow or for people to eat, its beta carotene levels are low, it does not store well, and we still do not know whether it helps fight VAD. Golden Rice is expensive, unnecessary, and does not address the real problem. Click here to read the report.

Vitamin A deficiency is a symptom of hunger and malnutrition, caused by poverty and inequality. The real solution lies in approaches that give people access to diverse diets with vitamin-A rich foods, and the means to grow them. Such approaches are affordable, accessible, more effective in the long term, and help fight hunger and poverty.

Our report finds:

1.    Golden Rice has low and variable levels of beta-carotene
2.    Golden Rice has not been adequately tested for bioavailability
3.    Beta carotene in Golden Rice degrades rapidly during storage and cooking
4.    Golden Rice is not yet ready for farmers to grow
5.    Golden Rice has not been adequately tested for safety
6.    Golden Rice poses environmental risks
7.    Golden Rice is expensive and unnecessary