Nutrition expert says GM crops can help the Philippines meet nutritional requirements

Dr. Milton Stokes, Director for Global Health and Nutrition Outreach of Monsanto, said that genetically modified (GM) crops can help the Philippines meet its nutritional requirements at a press briefing on March 7, 2017.

Dr. Stokes said, "crops like Golden Rice with beta-carotene biosynthesis genes to combat Vitamin A Deficiency (VAD) can help prevent 1-2 million deaths and 500,000 cases of irreversible blindness annually." He emphasized that GMOs are as safe and as nutritious as conventional crops, and added, "It has been 30 years since GMO crops have been researched and developed with more than 1,000 studies which all indicate that GMO crops are just as safe as those developed through traditional breeding."

In the Philippines, there is an ongoing debate on the safety and impact of GM crops. Dr. Stokes shared that government bodies review and approve GMOs, and there are countries such as the Philippines, where multiple agencies are involved in GM regulation.

For more information, contact Charina Ocampo at charina.garrido.ocampo@monsanto.com.