Philippines becomes first country to approve Golden Rice for planting

The Philippines has become the first country in the world to get approval for the commercial production of genetically modified “golden rice”, a variety of rice enriched with nutrients to help reduce childhood malnutrition. The Golden rice has been developed by the Department of Agriculture-Philippine Rice Research Institute (DA-PhilRice) in partnership with the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), after spending nearly two decades.

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About the Golden Rice:

It is named Golden Rice due to its bright yellow colour.
A cup of golden rice can give as much as 40 per cent of vitamin A which is very essential for children aged six months to five years, to combat childhood blindness and save lives in the developing world.
It is also the first genetically modified rice approved for commercial propagation in South and Southeast Asia.

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