“Golden Rice” is a type of rice that has been genetically modified to include higher quantities of vitamin A and iron. What are some benefits of distributing golden rice to underdeveloped countries?
“Diets which may have a high number of calories from a single source (such as rice) which does not have adequate vitamin A can lead to high risk for vitamin A deficiency and associated blindness. Vitamin A supplementation in the diets of children and adults who do not get adequate vitamin A will help to prevent blindness. If Golden Rice becomes widely used, it would be an inexpensive and easy way in which to “distribute” vitamin A to the population, the at-risk members of the population may not otherwise be able to afford (or it may not even be supplied and available if they could afford it) vitamin A supplementation even if they comprehended the need for it.”
What are the immediate and long-term effects of vitamin A deficiency?
“Vitamin A deficiency is a common cause of blindness. I don’t remember off-hand, but I think that it is the most common preventable cause of blindness.”
What are the immediate and long-term effects of iron deficiency?
“I didn’t know that Golden Rice was also designed to help with iron supplementation. Increased dietary iron availability in children and adults who do not get much dietary iron will help to prevent anemia.”
What is your view on GM crops and consumer safety?
“To this date, there are no scientific, peer-reviewed studies which indicate any safety issues from the consumption of GM crops. I gladly consume GM crops without thinking about it. The safety concerns that are raised by some groups are “junk-science” and they do not make sense. Why do the same people who advocate for limiting deforestation around the world want us to avoid using GM crops? If we don’t use GM crops, then we must use more insecticide and fertilizer or, alternatively, more land area to grow the crops which means that we must cut down more forests. Environmentalists, who are right to care about humanity’s affects on nature, should be at the front of the line cheering on GM crops as a way in which to save our planet.”
How can GM foods benefit and harm the economies of underdeveloped nations?
“The obvious benefit of GM crops is to be able to feed the population of a country with the food grown within the country and less reliance on imports of food which can require a large amount of a poor country’s foreign currency reserves. The drawbacks of GM crops are imposed on poor countries by wealthy (European) countries. The Europeans are wealthy enough that they can be picky about wanting their food raised in a certain fashion (for instance, “organically” or without genetic modification or locally) even if it costs more. But when they (European governments) impose their rules on poor countries, this has unintended consequence of creating more starvation among the poor in those countries that otherwise might be able to raise enough food if they had GM crops available (say genetically modified cassava that could withstand drought, or GM corn that require less insecticide and fertilizer for good crop yields because poor farmers cannot afford much fertilizer and insecticide).”
How can MDG 1 be satisfied?
“My obvious answer, in part, is to use GM crops and expand their development. However, the real answer lies not just here, but in expanding freedom so that small plot farmers own the title to their own land. If they have title, they can get loans (even small loans are helpful) and they incentive to improve what [they] own. If they don’t have title, they do not have this ability or this incentive.”
What responsibility does the US have in aiding in the satisfaction of MDG 1?
“The responsibility of the US is a moral one – it is also in the country’s self-interest to promote prosperity, stability and self-reliance among poor countries. I am not aware of any “contractual” (treaty) obligations of the US in this regard.”
What is your official title (as a professor and as a doctor)?
“I am temporary, part-time, seasonal adjunct at the college. Official title would be adjunct professor in the biology department (and assistant swim coach; my wife, the swim coach, calls me ‘the ass. coach’!). My other job: obstetrician/gynecologist. I work for Ob/Gyn Associates.”
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