GM golden rice opponents branded 'wicked' by UK environment secretary

Owen Paterson accused of swallowing industry hype on GM crops over claim that vitamin-enriched rice could prevent blindness and death among children in poor countriesPeople who oppose golden rice, a new variety of GM crop, are "wicked" and could be condemning children in developing countries to blindness and death, according to the British environment secretary.In an emotive intervention into the polarised debate about genetically modified crops in poor countries, Owen Paterson, a known advocate of GM foods, came out strongly in favour of golden rice, which has been developed to contain beta carotene, a source of vitamin A.Supporters of the rice, including GM company Syngenta, claim a single plateful can provide 60% of a child's daily vitamin A requirement, potentially reducing blindness and other illnesses that afflict millions of children in developing countries. According to the World Health Organisation, dietary vitamin A deficiency compromises the immune systems of about 40% of children under the age of five in the developing world.Paterson has expressed dismay that opponents of golden rice have, as he sees it, delayed its introduction for many years."I feel really strongly about it," Paterson told the Independent. "I think what they [opponents] do is absolutely wicked. There is no other word for it. It's just disgusting that little children are allowed to go blind and die because of a hang-up by a small number of people about this technology."His statement, described as...
Source: Guardian Unlimited Science - Category: Science Authors: Tags: theguardian.com Farming World news Society GM Environmental sustainability Owen Paterson Politics UK news Sustainable development Hunger Global development Science Source Type: news