Adoption of Golden Rice: A Boon for the Children Suffering from Vitamin A Deficiency

Abstract

Many poor people worldwide cannot afford nutritious food and depend on rice for their daily food needs. In 2022, Asia was home to 55% (402 million) of the people in the world affected by hunger, while more than 38% (282 million) lived in Africa. India is the world’s secondlargest producer of rice, wheat, vegetables, and fruit. Malnutrition is a major problem that causes many immediate and long-term health problems. Over 33 lakh children in India are malnourished, with Maharashtra, Bihar, and Gujarat having a major share. Vitamin A deficiency causes irreversible blindness in 500,000 children annually, which ultimately results in large-scale deaths. In Southeast Asia, due to VAD, every year, five million children develop symptoms that may lead to blindness. VAD is also a matter of concern in several areas of Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean. It is estimated that vitamin A nutrition may prevent approximately 1 to 2 million deaths every year among children aged 1 to 4 and an additional 0.25 to 0.5 million during the higher age group of children. One of the major causes of vitamin A deficiency is that milled rice does not contain β-carotene, which is the precursor of vitamin A synthesis. In this scenario, adopting Golden Rice which is genetically modified rice could benefit the population living in developing countries. This review article gives emphasis on the importance of overcoming vitamin A deficiency.