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Focus on hybrid rice to check malnutrition

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI FEB. 25. Iron deficiency is the most common nutritional problem in the world with about 3.5 billion people iron-anaemic. Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) causes symptoms ranging from xerophthalmia to keratomalacia, and can even lead to total blindness.

The threat posed by Vitamin A deficiency and the probable solution offered by the golden rice, enriched with iron and vitamin A, formed the main topic of discussion at the ongoing five-day Ninth Asian Congress of Nutrition at Ashok Hotel here.

``Rice may provide a cost-effective option for alleviating micronutrient deficiency in the large Asian populations,'' said nutritionists who had gathered here for the seminar.

Speaking at the Congress, S.K. Datta, International Rice Research Institute, Metro Manila, Philippines, said: "Conventionally, rice plants are often severely affected by the lack of sufficient iron in soil. However, an iron storage protein in animals and plants, ferritin, may provide a source of iron in the soil. We have succeeded in producing genetically fortified rice which accumulates as much as three times more iron and zinc than control rice seeds after polishing.''

The International Rice Research Institute, Philippines, in collaboration with ICAR (India), BRRI (Bangladesh), RIABGR (Indonesia) along with a few other institutes has genetically engineered superior rice with either the gene for vitamin A, or ferritin. A few of these include the IR64, BR29, Swarna, NHCD and a few other varieties of rice. Experts are now trying to harness the possibility of combining the high iron rice with beta- carotene and enhanced lysine, an essential amino acid, thus constituting a "dream rice'' for use by malnourished women and children, an other people.

Attended by over 1,500 delegates from as many as 36 countries, the Congress is being held in the Capital after a gap of 33 years and looks at the various aspects of nutrition in a world perspective.

Speaking at the conference, Howarth Bouis of IFPRI, U.S., said: "After the one-time investment is made to develop seeds that fortify themselves, recurrent costs are low. Further, the germplasm may be shared internationally. It is the multiplier aspect of plant breeding across time and distance that makes it so cost-effective . Once in place the bio-fortified crop system is highly sustainable, even without an aggressive push from the government and international funding.''

However, Dr. Datta cautions: "As technology is neutral, scientists should work responsibly following national and international safety guidelines. Society also should take the best advantage of modern tools to produce safe and healthy food thereby helping attain an improved quality of life.''

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