Four-Step Instructions for Golden Rice Adoption

Adrian Dubock of the Golden Rice Humanitarian Board laid out the steps on how people can organize themselves for the adoption of Golden Rice, a beta carotene-enriched rice variety developed to address Vitamin A deficiency.

The first step, according to Dubock, is to organize people for public meetings to coordinate activities for improved health and welfare through Golden Rice adoption. The different levels of the government must take their roles in this task, with the help of nongovernmental organizations and the private sector.

When Golden Rice becomes available in the market, the seeds cannot be made available to all farmers in the country at the same time. Thus, it is important to identify areas with highest incidences of Vitamin A deficiency which must be prioritized to be supplied first.

The next step is to conduct social marketing of Golden Rice to different stakeholders. Farmers must be informed about the benefits of the variety in alleviating hunger and malnutrition, and that their profit will not be adversely affected when they sell Golden Rice. Consumers should be encouraged to buy and consume Golden Rice because of its nutritional benefits that cannot be gained from conventional white rice.

Lastly, the impact of Golden Rice adoption must be measured through dietary records using careful experimental design and conduct. Results must be published in peer-reviewed scientific journal so other countries can learn from the experience.

Read the original article from Agriculture and Food Security journal.