Asian groups demand GM rice ban

A coalition of 17 Asia-based NGOs have urged authorities to impose a global ban on genetically modified (GM) rice. The call follows growing concerns over biotechnology companies looking to commercially introduce GM varieties into the region.

"Rice is the world's most important staple food crop and we simply cannot allow a small number of biotech companies and GE scientists to determine the future of rice development," said Varoonvarn Svangsopakul of Greenpeace Southeast Asia. "GE rice is not a solution to world hunger. It poses unacceptable risks to health and the environment, as well as people's livelihoods."

As part of the campaign, representatives from ten rice growing countries delivered the ‘GE-Free Rice Declaration’ to the Bangkok headquarters of the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), organisers of World Food Day.

"The real way forward for sustainable agriculture and solution for hunger is through the protection and use of biodiversity rather than genetic engineering, and the promotion of ecological agriculture based on the traditional knowledge of farming communities," added Paul Borja, SEARICE, based in the Philippines.