The Golden Rice (GR) is genetically engineered to produce provitamin A carotenoids, in particular, beta-carotene, to supposedly help combat vitamin A deficiency (VAD), especially in developing countries. In 2016, the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) filed an application with Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) for the market approval of food derived from Golden Rice for import in food.

The application was filed for the “Golden Rice 2” (GR2), a second generation trait with a reportedly much higher content of carotenoids than the first generation of Golden Rice. For the application, a line of GR2 (called GR2E) was crossed into indica rice varieties. Data was submitted from greenhouse and field trials conducted in the Philippines. In 2017, FSANZ gave approval for GR2’s import and usage as food.

An industry campaign was initiated to support the application: Amongst the submissions sent to FSANZ were several letters from companies such as Bayer, Dow and Syngenta.

Nutritional quality

Data from the application show that the plants grown in field trials produce a much smaller amount of carotenoids (3,5µg/g – 10.9 µg/g) compared to the original GR2 event, which is supposed to produce a maximum of more than 30 µg/g. Further, while previous publications identified beta-carotene as having a percentage of around 80 percent of the total carotenoids, the rice in the field trials only reached 59 percent. It is not clear if this much lower content in carotenoids is due to the varietal background or to environmental conditions. Further significant reduction in the content of carotenoids has to be expected due to storage, processing and heating of the grains in food preparation. Thus, in regard to the nutritional quality of GR2, this application gives the impression that the potential benefits of the rice claimed in the submissions from industry are greatly overestimated, and cannot be realised under practical conditions.

Genetic stability

Recent publications on similar lines of Golden Rice show genetic instability if they are crossed with other varieties; these were not discussed by FSANZ even though they are also relevant for food safety. Data from the applicant also show that the expression of the transgenes is impacted by varietal backgrounds and is dependent on interactions with the environment. Therefore, it would be necessary to gather more data on the range of variability that can be expected under a broader range of genetic backgrounds and in interaction with biotic and abiotic stressors. Based on the data available, no final conclusions can be drawn on the genetic stability of the rice plants.

Compositional analysis

There are further reasons to doubt the reliability of the data provided by IRRI: Surprisingly, the line which showed lowest concentration of carotenoids was chosen for field trials and compositional analysis. One possible explanation is that the applicants wanted to establish safety at a low level of transgene activity. Such a low level can decrease the likelihood of unintended changes in plant metabolism and composition. Therefore, such plants might appear to be “safer” compared to plants with a higher level of transgene activity. Consequently, the data for risk assessment cannot be regarded as reliable for determining food safety of the GR2 lines with a higher carotenoid content, if such lines were available.

Toxicology

According to IRRI, the consumption of this rice is especially beneficial to young children as well as lactating and pregnant women. At the same time, it is self-evident that food products with no history of safe use must be subjected to the highest standards of risk assessment before the most vulnerable groups of the population are exposed to it. However, no toxicological studies were performed with the rice. In the light of the humanitarian claims made in the context of GR2, it is surprising that this application is not based on a full set of data to establish high safety standards.

Conclusions

This application does not show substantial benefits. Furthermore, the risk assessment as performed by FZANZ is not sufficient to demonstrate safety of food derived from GR2.

Testbiotech comments on the data submitted by IRRI

1. The plants grown in field trials produced a much smaller amount of carotenoids compared to the original GR2 event. The rice in the field trials only reached 59% of beta-carotene of the total carotenoid content compared to the 80% claimed in earlier research. Further reductions in carotenoids may be expected due to storage, processing and heating for preparation of food. Thus, the potential benefits of GR2 are greatly overestimated and are unlikely to be realised under practical conditions.
2. Even though relevant for food safety, available evidence of adverse effects of GR, e.g. plant growth disturbance, were not discussed by the applicant or FSANZ. Some significant differences were detected e.g. in niacin content and the composition of fatty acids. These effects should have been but were not taken as a starting point for more detailed investigations. Based on the data available, no final conclusions can be drawn on the safety of the rice plants.
3. The line which showed the lowest concentration of carotenoids was chosen for the field trials and compositional analysis. Consequently, the data for risk assessment cannot be regarded as reliable for determining the food safety of GR2 lines with a higher carotenoid content, if such lines were available.
4. No toxicological studies were performed with GR2. Many more in-depth toxicological studies would be necessary before any conclusion can be drawn on food safety.

Testbiotech concludes that given the substantial risks associated with the cultivation of GR2 plants and existing uncertainties in regard to negative health impacts, the application indicates a high likelihood of risks without substantial benefits.

In a new publication on political economy, sociology and environmental studies, Nigerian activist, Nnimmo Bassey, authored one of the book’s 15 chapters. Titled: “The Climate Crisis and the Struggle for African Food Sovereignty”, the chapter deals with the historical roots of the food challenge in Africa. The book is titled: “The climate crisis: South African and Global Democratic Eco-Socialist Alternatives”, and is edited by Vishwas Satgar, an associate professor of International Relations at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa, and editor of the Democratic Marxism series for which he received the distinguished contribution award from the World Association of Political Economy. Bassey sheds some light on his chapter

Besides dealing with the historical roots of the food challenge in Africa, the chapter on “The Climate Crisis and the Struggle for African Food Sovereignty” stretches from the colonial to the neo-colonial and touches on the fact that the current pressures to introduce new market-driven models is an imposition of “a complex system of interlocking oligopolies that span seeds, agrochemicals, biotechnology, trading, retailing and consumer goods companies”.

The chapter looks at the unending tales of climate woes for Africa and states that the continent can expect to be hit by more droughts and intensified desertification. This could lead to a reduction of production from rain-fed agriculture by 50 per cent in some African countries by 2020. By that same year, between 75 and 250 million Africans will face water stress and, by 2025, only a handful of African countries will not be suffering from water scarcity or stress. The implication of this for farmers and pastoralists can only be imagined. We can also expect more tensions between nations over water-sharing arrangements, as has been seen between Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia, for instance.

The chapter also dwells on what it calls the “marketing false solutions to climate change in Africa.” In this sub-section the searchlight is pointed on climate solutions promoted globally that help lock in polluting activities and thus exacerbate the climate crisis. Some of these false solutions are said to include REDD or Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation, carbon trading, so-called climate-smart agriculture and genetically modified or engineered crops. These solutions generally depend on the current business infrastructure, including that of the fossil fuels industry. The false solutions have direct implications for agriculture in Africa, especially through the promoting of biofuels as an alternative or supplement to fossil fuels, synthetic biology, geo-engineering and other market mechanisms.

Another section of the chapter looks at “Genetically modified foods’ unsuccessful push” in Africa. The chapter did not foresee the cascading in of GMOs in Nigeria which may be the wedge the biotech industry needs to pry the continent open to the technology. The chapter dwells on the resistance to the introduction of GMOs through food aid, citing the 2000 Zambia situation as a prime example, and on the failure of the introduction of genetically modified cotton to small scale farmers in South Africa and Burkina Faso.

The chapter also takes a critical look at seed colonialism and land/water grabs on the continent.

As powerful as the forces pushing false climate solutions are, the people at the receiving end have been organising and mobilising arguments and actions to show what the real solutions are. People power can overturn those false arguments and autonomous actions can illustrate the foolery in the propositions that Africans can only be assured of food and nutrition through the products of laboratories, such as GMOs, or that climate-smart means modern biotechnology.

Climate change undermines planetary life-support systems. It attacks resilient systems and cultures developed over millennia. The chapter sees hope in the activities of smallholder farmers, whose practices work in sync with nature and do not depend on artificial inputs that degrade soil and biodiversity.

Food sovereignty ensures the human right to food and prioritises local food systems and local markets. It is against food dumping and promotes culturally appropriate and wholesome foods. Food sovereignty fundamentally tackles hunger by ensuring that local farmers maintain control of their farming and food systems. By this approach, Africa can regain her food independence, support the majority of our farmers in their small-scale agro-ecological farming, reduce the gender gap, increase employment and income, protect agricultural biodiversity, promote health and nutrition and mitigate global warming.

The Police on Thursday, February 8, 2018 arraigned an 18-year-old herder, Abu Shagari, in a Makurdi Magistrates’ Court in Benue State, for alleged open grazing.

The prosecutor, Sgt. Abdulkarim Abubakar, had told the court that the accused person was arrested by a team of vigilance group, led by Gwaza Jacob.

He said the accused person was subsequently handed over to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID) in Makurdi on Jan.21.

Abubakar said the team was on patrol along Adaka Road in Makurdi metropolis when they saw the accused person navigating his cattle to openly graze on the field.

He said the accused person hailed from Shabu village, in Nasarawa State.

The prosecutor averred that other herders in company of the accused person were at large.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the accused person pleaded guilty to the charges.

The prosecutor pray the court to enter a summary judgment on the accused person, based on his guilty plea in line with Section 157 of the CPC.

However, My Jijani Ahmed, counsel to the accused person, had urged the court to reverse the plea of guilty to not guilty in the interest of justice.

He said his client must be given the opportunity to defend himself and for the prosecution to prove their case beyond reasonable doubt before a judgment could be entered.

The Magistrate, Mr Emmanuel Azembe, held that the accused person must give full explanation of his plea and the consequences that followed it.

He asked Shagari to show cause why the court should not convict him on the grounds of his plea.

The magistrate, however extended a life line to the accused person by asking if he could change his plea to “not guilty.’’

Shagari after understanding the implication of his initial plea, was compelled by his counsel to change it to “not guilty.’’

The magistrate ordered the remand of the accused person in prison and adjourned the case until Feb. 20 for hearing.

By Dorathy Aninge