Philrice pushing fortified rice dev't

THERE is no turning back on the mission of the Department of Agriculture (DA) to produce new rice varieties that are rich in micronutrients in order to combat malnutrition.

Dr. Antonio A. Alfonso, director of the DA's Crop Biotechnology Center (CBC) stressed that plant breeders of the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) are cracking their brains to achieve this objective, particularly in the light of the increasing incidence of hunger and vitamin A deficiency (VAD) among children and lactating mothers.

A total of 1.7 million Filipino children suffer from VAD while one in every 10 pregnant women suffers from VAD. 
 Worldwide, VAD causes the deaths of 670,000 children annually, with another 350,000 suffering from blindness.

In time, Alfonso explained, PhilRice scientists will be able to provide the Philippine market with rice fortified with iron, zinc and beta carotene to address what he described as the high mortality and morbidity rates caused by micronutrient deficiencies.

"We have replicated field trials of iron and zinc-rich rice in the experimental fields of PhilRice and at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI). With biofortification, we expect that our staple food will soon contain from 50 percent to 80 percent higher iron and zinc content," he said.

Alfonso was a recipient of the Outstanding Young Scientist Award in 2008.

Government has been concerned with VAD for several years and Congress even enacted the Fortification Law that mandated rice millers to fortify their commodities with iron.

Rice millers led by Herculano "Joji" Co, president of the Philippine Confederation of Grains Associations (Philcongrains), said they complied with the law in order to improve the nutritive value of rice.

Co stressed the Fortification Law was laudable since it led to a reduction of VAD incidence based on the findings of the National Nutrition Council (NNC) and the Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI), both of which lamented the temporary stoppage of the rice fortification program when the new chief of the National Food Authority (NFA) took over.

With the resumption of the program, however, government has signified that it is keen on redeeming its promise to improve the nutrition of 95 million Filipinos.

Alfonso said biofortification or the method of breeding crops to increase their nutritional value is a "sustainable and effective way of fighting hidden hunger."

"Access is crucial in reducing micronutrient deficiency because it has no visible signs, making the sufferer unaware of his condition. Since rice is a main component of the diet, more people, especially in the rural areas, will have an immediate and cheaper source ot micronutrients," he explained.

Alfonso said PhilRice is working to combat VAD through the infusion of a trait of Golden Rice, which allows rice to produce a high amount of beta carotene.

"Let's note that the body only converts beta carotene into vitamin A only when needed," he clarified.

PhilRice is working carefully on the fortified rice varieties to ensure that they are safe to humans and pose no risk to the environment. and Research in Agriculture-Biotechnology Information Center (SEARCA-BIC).   

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