The Sustainable Development Goals are Unattainable without a Change of Nutritional Strategy

Main Article Content

Adrian Dubock http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9429-8423

Abstract

For decades, vitamin A supplementation and chemical fortification have been used to reduce micronutrient malnutrition, a key part of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal 2: "Zero Hunger" by 2030. Despite these efforts, 50% of pre-school children and 66% of women of reproductive age globally remain malnourished, with nearly 900 million children vitamin A deficient. Micronutrient deficiency, especially in Low -and-Middle-Income-countries, impedes individual and population productivity.


However, neither supplementation nor chemical fortification is sustainable or addresses the root causes of micronutrient deficiencies, as both require continuous external funding. The Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition’s (GAIN’s) focus on Large-Scale- Food-Fortification with chemicals, while helpful, remains insufficient and unsustainable.


In 2009, Prof. Al Sommer emphasized the need for sustainable solutions, with biofortification, including Golden Rice, offering promising alternatives. The World Bank recommended biofortified crops, including specifically GMO-crops like Golden Rice, in 2017 as a sustainable option. Recurrent costs are minimal once seeds are available.


Golden Rice, now available in Bangladesh, requires only one local policy decision for implementation, setting a precedent for other crops.


The Philippine Government has adopted Golden Rice since 2021 to improve public health. However, Greenpeace has opposed it globally for decades, and in 2022, they challenged the Government’s efforts. On August 15, 2024, the Philippines Appeal Court upheld Greenpeace’s complaint, halting Golden Rice adoption.


Golden Rice has only been developed in Bangladesh and the Philippines. There is an urgent need to counteract Greenpeace’s malign influence and expand the countries where Golden Rice and eventually all biofortified crops can be deployed as a sustainable public health intervention

Keywords: SDG, Golden Rice, biofortification, LSFF, Greenpeace, GAIN

Article Details

How to Cite
DUBOCK, Adrian. The Sustainable Development Goals are Unattainable without a Change of Nutritional Strategy. Medical Research Archives, [S.l.], v. 12, n. 10, oct. 2024. ISSN 2375-1924. Available at: <https://esmed.org/MRA/mra/article/view/5818>. Date accessed: 03 dec. 2024. doi: https://doi.org/10.18103/mra.v12i10.5818.
Section
Articles

References

1. Paetkau V., Brilliance & Confusion: Saving children's vision & lives with vitamin A. 2017. ISBN 978-0-9810523-2-8
2. Dubock AC. Biofortified Golden Rice: an additional intervention for vitamin A deficiency. Sasaki T, ed. Achiev Sustain Cultiv rice Vol 1 Breed High Qual. Published online 2017:201-220. doi:10.19103/as.2016.0003.32
3. Dubock A. Golden Rice: To Combat Vitamin A Deficiency for Public Health. In: Queiroz ZL, de Rosso VV, Eduardo J-L, eds. Vitamin A. IntechOpen; 2019:1-21. doi:10.5772/intechopen.84445
4. 2021 Global Nutrition Report: The state of global nutrition. Bristol, UK: Development Initiatives https://www.un.org/nutrition/sites/www.un.org.nutrition/files/global_nutrition_report_2021.pdf
5. UN. Millennium Development Goals 1990 - 2015. The Millennium Development Goals https://www.ndi.org/sites/default/files/Handout%207%20%20Millennium%20Development%20Goals.pdf
6. UN. Department of Economic and Social Affairs. The Sustainable Development Goals .2015-2030 https://sdgs.un.org/goals
7. Kydland F, Schelling T, Stokey N, Smart Development Goals. 2015;501(c):1-3. www.copenhagenconsensus.com
8. WHO. Global prevalence of vitamin A deficiency in populations at risk 1995-2005. WHO Global Database on Vitamin A Deficiency. Geneva, World Health Organisation, 2009.
9. Blancquaert D, De Steur H, Gellynck X and Van Der Straeten D, Present and future of folate biofortification of crop plants. Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol. 65, No. 4, pp. 895–906, 2014 doi:10.1093/jxb/ert483
10. Semba R D, The vitamin A story: Lifting the shadow of death. World Review of Nutrition and Dietetics; v 104 0084-2230. Series Editor: B Koletzko. 2012;104:1-207. isbn.978-3-318-02188-2
11. WHO. World Health Assembly Resolution to accelerate food micronutrient fortification: (May 2023): https://www.who.int/news/item/29-05-2023-new-wha-resolution-to-accelerate-efforts-on-food-micronutrient-fortification
12. Gödecke T, Stein A J, Qaim M. The global burden of chronic and hidden hunger: Trends and determinants. Glob Food Sec. 2018;17:21-29. doi:10.1016/j.gfs.2018.03.004
13. Sommer A, Hussaini G, Tarwotjo I, and Susanto D. Increased mortality in children with mild vitamin a deficiency. Lancet. 1983;322(8350):585-588. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(83)90677-3
14. Sommer A, Leaving the Chrysalis Behind. Chairman's concluding remarks, 2nd Micronutrient Forumm , Beijing, May 15, 2009. Sight and Life Magazine 2009, 2:34-36 https://www.goldenrice.org/PDFs/ASommer-MF2009.pdf
15. United Nations Children’s Fund, The State of the World’s Children 2023: For every child, vaccination, 1 -226. UNICEF Innocenti – Global Office of Research and Foresight, Florence, April 2023. http://www.unicef.org/state-worlds-children-2023
16. The Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN). https://www.gainhealth.org/
17. The Micronutrient Forum, https://micronutrientforum.org/about-us/our-partners/
18. Stevens G A, Beal T, Mbuya M, et al. Micronutrient deficiencies among preschool-aged children and women of reproductive age worldwide: a pooled analysis of individual-level data from population-representative surveys. Lancet Glob Heal. 2022;10(11):e1590-e1599. doi:10.1016/S2214-109X(22)00367-9
19. Song P, Davies A, Li S, et al. The prevalence of vitamin A deficiencyand its public health significance in children in low-and middle-income countries:A systematic review and modelling analysis. J Glob Heal. 2023;13(04084). doi:10.7189/jogh.13.04084
20. Passarelli S, Free C M, Shepon A, Beal T, Batis C,and Golden C D. Global estimation of dietary micronutrient inadequacies: a modeling analysis. The Lancet Global Health, August 29, 2024, doi: 10.1016/S2214-109X(24)00276-6
21. GAIN. Global Food Fortification Advocacy Toolkit https://www.gainhealth.org/campaigns/fortifying-nutrition
22. GAIN Webinar https://www.gainhealth.org/events/rice-fortification-key-opportunity-reach-more-people-fortified-food September 18 2021
23. GAIN Webinar July 16 2024. 85 minutes, Fortifying Nations: Forging New Alliances for Food Fortification : https://youtu.be/2Pc2i8OvhhU
24. Keats E C, Neufeld L M, Garrett G S, Mbuya M N, Bhutta Z A. Improved micronutrient status and health outcomes in low- and middle-income countries following large-scale fortification: evidence from a systematic review and meta-analysis. Am J Clin Nutr. 2019;109(6):1696-1708. doi:10.1093/ajcn/nqz023
25. Neidecker-Gonzales O, Nestel P, Bouis H. Estimating the global costs of vitamin A capsule supplementation: A review of the literature. Food Nutr Bull. 2007;28(3):307-316. doi:10.1177/156482650702800307
26. Van Der Straeten D, Bhullar NK, De Steur H, et al. Multiplying the efficiency and impact of biofortification through metabolic engineering. Nat Commun. 2020;11(1):1200. doi:10.1038/s41467-020-19020-4
27. Imdad A, Mayo-Wilson E, Haykal MR, et al. Vitamin A supplementation for preventing morbidity and mortality in children from six months to five years of age. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2022;2022(3). doi:10.1002/14651858.CD008524.pub4
28. GAIN Webinar : Rice fortification - a key opportunity to reach more people with fortified food. September 2 2021 https://www.gainhealth.org/events/rice-fortification-key-opportunity-reach-more-people-fortified-food September 18 2021 a 2 hour recording is available:at https://youtu.be/pc03ERLrYMg
29. Das RC. Status of Rice Fortification in Bangladesh. Published 2021. Accessed September 18, 2021. https://www.gainhealth.org/sites/default/files/event/documents/status-of-rice-fortification-in-bangladesh-ram-chandra-das.pdf
30. Montgomery S. Rice fortification quality and cost. Published 2021. Accessed September 18, 2021. https://www.gainhealth.org/sites/default/files/event/documents/rice-fortification-quality-and-cost-scott-montgomery.pdf
31. Dubock AC, Wesseler J, Russell RM, Chen C, and Zilberman D. Golden Rice, VAD, Covid and Public Health : Saving Lives and Money. In: Huang M, ed. Integrative Advances in Rice Research. Intech Open: Rijeka: Janeza Trdine 9, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia London: 5 Princes Gate Court, London, SW7 2QJ, UK; 2021:21. doi:10.5772/intechopen.101535
32. World Bank Group. An Overview of Links Between Obesity and Food Systems Implications for The Food and Agriculture Global Practice Agenda. Food Agric Glob Pract. 2017;(June):48. http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/222101499437276873/pdf/117200-REVISED-WP-Obesity-Overview-Web-PUBLIC-002.pdf
33. Bouis H. Linking Agriculture and Nutrition: An Overview of Biofortification and HarvestPlus. West African Biofortification Webinar. Published 2021. https://www.harvestplus.org/knowledge-market/in-the-news/video-webinar-biofortification-west-africa
34. Ye X, Al-babili S, Kloti A, et al., Engineering the provitamin A beta-carotene biosynthetic pathway into (carotenoid-free) rice endosperm. Science. 2000 Jan 14;287(5451):303-5. doi:10.1126,science.287.5451.303.
35. Paine JA, Shipton CA, Chaggar S, et al. Improving the nutritional value of Golden Rice through increased pro-vitamin A content. Nat Biotechnol. 2005;23(4):482-487. doi:10.1038/nbt1082
36. Swamy B P, Samia M, Boncodin R, et al. Compositional Analysis of Genetically Engineered GR2E “Golden Rice” in Comparison to That of Conventional Rice. J Agric Food Chem. 2019;67(28):7986-7994. doi:10.1021/acs.jafc.9b01524
37. Swamy B P , Marundan S, Samia M, et al. Development and characterization of GR2E Golden rice introgression lines. Sci Rep. 2021;11(1). doi:10.1038/s41598-021-82001-0
38. Potrykus I. Genetic Modification and the Public Good.(2013) European Review, 21, pp S68-S79 doi:10.1017/S1062798713000203 http://journals.cambridge.org/abstract_S1062798713000203
39. Potrykus I. From the concept of totipotency to biofortified cereals. Annu Rev Plant Biol. 2015;66(November):1-22. doi:10.1146/annurev-arplant-043014-114734
40. Dubock A. Golden Rice: some considerations for Philippine pending legal decisions and expected local and global implications. Medical Research Archives [online] (August 31 2024)12(8). https://doi.org/10.18103/mra.v12i8.5884
41. Trijatmiko KR, Duenãs C, Tsakirpaloglou N, et al. Biofortified indica rice attains iron and zinc nutrition dietary targets in the field. Sci Rep. 2016;6 (September 2015):1-13. doi:10.1038/srep19792
42. Bouis H, Slamet-Loedin I, Trijatmiko K R, et al. Multiplying the efficiency and impact of biofortification through metabolic engineering of rice for the Philippines. 22nd IUNS-International Congress of Nutrition. Submission No.:C001200. [Track 8] Agriculture, Food Science and Safety. Oral
43. Storozhenko S, De Brouwer V, Volckaert M, et al. Folate fortification of rice by metabolic engineering. Nat Biotechnol. 2007;11(11):1277-1279. doi:10.1038/nbt1351
44. Fitzpatrick T B, Dalvit I, Chang F H, et al. Vitamin B1 enhancement in the endosperm of rice through thiamine sequestration. Plant Biotechnol J. 2024;22(8):2330-2332. doi:10.1111/pbi.14348
45. Wu T Y, Gruissem W, and Bhullar N K, Targeting intracellular transport combined with efficient uptake and storage significantly increases grain iron and zinc levels in rice. Plant Biotechnol. J. 2019, 17, 9–20.
46. Wu F, Wesseler J, Zilberman D, Russell RM, Chen C, Dubock AC. Allow Golden Rice to save lives. Proc Natl Acad Sci. 2021;118(51):e2120901118. doi:10.1073/pnas.2120901118
47. Labuschagne M, Biofortification to improve food security. Emerging Topics in Life Sciences (2023)pp1-9. https://doi.org/10.1042/ETLS29230066
48. Durant J, Lindsey N, Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology. The ‘great gm food debate’ - 2000;(May):1-55. doi:ISBN 1 897941 96 X http://www.parliament.uk/documents/post/report138.pdf accessed 8.9.2024
49. Dubock AC. The politics of Golden Rice. GM Crops Food. 2014;5(3):210-222. doi:10.4161/21645698.2014.967570
50. Chassy B, Tribe D BG and KD, Chassy Bruce; Tribe David; Brookes Graham and Kershen Drew. Organic Marketing Report.; 2014. http://academicsreview.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/AR_Organic-Marketing-Report_Print.pdf
51. Dubock A. Golden Rice: a long-running story at the watershed of the GM debate. WwwGoldenriceOrg. Published online 2013:1-12. Accessed July 24, 2014. http://b4fa.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Viewpoints-Dubock.pdf
52. Greenpeace. Genetically engineered “Golden Rice” is fools gold. Press Release. Published February 12 2001. original link: http://www.greenpeace.org/new-zealand/en/press/genetically-engineered-golden/ new link: https://zenodo.org/records/ 13737573 #1
53. Tang G, Hu Y, Yin SA, et al. β-carotene in Golden Rice is as good as β-carotene in oil at providing vitamin A to children. Am J Clin Nutr. 2012;96(3):658-664. doi:10.3945/ajcn.111.030775
54. Monica Tan (Greenpeace). 24 children used as guinea pigs in genetically engineered “Golden Rice” trial. 2012-08-29. original link: http://www.greenpeace.org/eastasia/news/blog/24-children-used-as-guinea-pigs-in-geneticall/blog/41956/ new link: Number 1 at https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10639988
55. Dubock A C, Prejudice, against Golden Rice, in US Academia drove unethical behaviour, with global and detrimental consequences for vitamin A deficiency alleviation. Medical Research Archives [online] (2024) 12(2) https://doi.org/10.18103/mra.v12i2.5091
56. Alberts B, Beachy R, Baulcombe D, et al. Standing up for GMOs. Science. 2013;341(6152):1320. doi:10.1126/science.1245017
57. Roberts R, Agre P, Alferov Z, et al. (2016) To the Leaders of Greenpeace, the United Nations and Governments around the world. https://supportprecisionagriculture.org/nobel-laureate-gmo-letter_rjr.html and https://www.supportprecisionagriculture.org/view-signatures_rjr.html and https://supportprecisionagriculture.org/join-us_rjr.html
58. Maeder C, Michaelis D. Syngenta to Donate Golden Rice to Humanitarian Board.; 2004. http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1123661/000095010304001433/oct1504_6k.htm
59. Global Transgenic Seeds Market Predicted to Reach $80.91 Billion by 2033, August 21, 2024 https://www.isaaa.org/kc/cropbiotechupdate/article/default.asp?ID=20959 referencing: Global Transgenic Seeds Market Insights Forecasts to 2033 https://www.sphericalinsights.com/reports/transgenic-seeds-market
60. A catastrophe’_ Greenpeace blocks planting of 'lifesaving' Golden Rice. The Guardian 25 May 2024 https://www.theguardian.com/environment/article/2024/may/25/greenpeace-blocks-planting-of-lifesaving-golden-rice-philippines also available at: https://www.goldenrice.org/PDFs/Dr%20Gurdev%20Khush%20on%20Greenpeace%20assertions%20about%20GR%202024.pdf
61. Dr Gurdev Singh Khush Foundation : For Advancement of Agricultural Sciences https://khushfoundation.org/khush/about-g-s-khush/ also available at: https://www.goldenrice.org/PDFs/Dr%20Gurdev%20Khush%20on%20Greenpeace%20assertions%20about%20GR%202024.pdf
62. Biotechnologies. A Decade of EU-Funded GMO Research (2001-2010).; 2010. ftp://ftp.cordis.europa.eu/pub/fp7/kbbe/docs/a-decade-of-eu-funded-gmo-research_en.pdf
63. Norero D. GMO 25-year safety endorsement: 280 science institutions, more than 3,000 studies https://geneticliteracyproject.org/2022/01/21/gmo-20-year-safety-endorsement-280-science-institutions-more-3000-studies/
64. Miller H. and Hefferon K., Greenpeace’s Cruel War on Genetically Engineered Crops Grinds On (2024). https://www.acsh.org/news/2024/08/20/greenpeaces-cruel-war-genetically-engineered-crops-grinds-48914
65. Barfoot P, Brookes G. GM crop technology use 1996-2018: farm income and production impacts. GM Crops Food. 2020, VOL. 11, NO. 4, 242–261 https://doi.org/10.1080/21645698.2020.1779574
66. FAO/IAEA. Welcome to the Joint FAO/IAEA Mutant Variety Database. Accessed December 28, 2015. https://mvd.iaea.org/
67. Low J W, Arimond M, Osman N, Cunguara B, Zano F, and Tschirley D. A Food-Based Approach Introducing Orange-Fleshed Sweet Potatoes Increased Vitamin A Intake and Serum Retinol Concentrations in Young Children in Rural Mozambique. Am Soc Nutr. Journal of Nutrition Published online 2007:1320-1327.
68. Kyndt T, Quispe D, Zhai H, et al. The genome of cultivated sweet potato contains Agrobacterium T-DNAs with expressed genes: An example of a naturally transgenic food crop. PNAS. 2015;112(18):5844-5849. doi:10.1073/pnas.1419685112
69. Pierce S K. This is awesome: Horizontal gene transfer from a plant to an animal. (2010 )https://arthropoda.wordpress.com/2010/01/13/this-is-awesome-horizontal-gene-transfer-from-a-plant-to-an-animal/
70. Dunning Hotopp JC. Horizontal gene transfer between bacteria and animals. Trends Genet. 2011;27(4):157-163. doi:10.1016/j.tig.2011.01.005.
71. Gasmi1 L, Boulain H, Gauthier J et al. Recurrent Domestication by Lepidoptera of Genes from Their Parasites Mediated by Bracoviruses. PLOS Genetics DOI:10.1371/journal.pgen.1005470 September 17, 2015
72. Quispe-Huamanquispe D G, Gheysen G and Kreuze J F. Horizontal Gene Transfer Contributes to Plant Evolution: The Case of Agrobacterium T-DNAs. Front. Plant Sci.2017 8:2015. doi:10.3389/fpls.2017.02015
73. Ledford, H. First known gene transfer from plant to insect identified. (2021) https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-00782-w https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-021-00782-w
74. Adler J H, The Cartagena Protocol and Biological Diversity; Biosafe or Bio-sorry (2000). Faculty Publications. Paper 190. Western Reserve University , Scholarly Commons. doi:10.2139/ssrn.227644 http://scholarlycommons.law.case.edu/faculty_publications/190
75. Greenpeace claim responsibility for Precautionary Principle. Originally downloaded 21 June 2016. https://zenodo.org/uploads/13737573 #4
76. WHO 2018 Guideline: fortification of rice with vitamins and minerals as a public health strategy https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241550291
77. Micronutrient Forum 2021 Annual Report - progress in a new reality. Driving Partnerships, Driving Evidence, Driving Actions. June 7 2022. https://micronutrientforum.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/MNF-Annual_Report_07Jun22-FINAL.pdf
78. 1999-2013 Dr Tang's research publications including human subjects & 2013 cv. Number 27 at https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10639988
79. NIH public defence of Tang's 2008 research with Chinese children. April 30 2009. Number 19 at https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10639988
80. Tang G, Hu Y, Yin S, et al. β-Carotene in Golden Rice is as good as β-carotene in oil at providing vitamin A to children.Am J Clin Nutr 2012;96:658–64.
81. December 05 2013 KMK ASN VP to Tang must retract. Number 6 at https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10639988
82. Retraction of Tang G, Hu Y, Yin S-a, Wang Y, Dallal GE, Grusak MA, and Russell RM. β-Carotene in Golden Rice is as good as β-carotene in oil at providing vitamin A to children. Am J Clin Nutr 2012;96:658-64. Am J Clin Nutr. 2015 Sep;102(3):715. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.114.093229. Epub 2015 Jul 29. PMID: 26224301; PMCID: PMC4548169.
83. Osendarp S. “The world’s most cost-effective health intervention is being overlooked.“ SDG2 Advocacy Hub, 24 March 2021 https://sdg2advocacyhub.org/latest/the-worlds-most-cost-effective-health-intervention-is-being-overlooked/
84. GAIN Fortifying our Impact - industrial fortification and biofortification as complimentary interventions to fight malnutrition. June 10 2021 https://www.gainhealth.org/events/fortifying-our-impact-industrial-fortification-and-biofortification-complimentary. 1 hour 34 minutes recording https://youtu.be/LG3YKdQ-mDE
85. Biosafety SA. Bangladesh greenlights gene editing to ‘meet the needs of farmers and consumers.’ 2024;(February):2021-2023. https://geneticliteracyproject.org/2024/03/12/bangladesh-greenlights-gene-editing-to-meet-the-needs-of-farmers-and-consumers/
86. Can you make a CRISPR Golden Rice? | CRISPeR FRENZY. April 3 201. An interview with Golden Rice creators Profs Potrykus and Beyer https://mycrispr.blog/2017/04/03/can-you-make-a-crispr-golden-rice/ downloaded Sept 10 2024
87. Dong O X, Yu S, Jain R, et al. Marker-free carotenoid-enriched rice generated through targeted gene insertion using CRISPR-Cas9. Nat Commun. 2020 Mar 4;11(1):1178. doi: 10.1038/s41467-020-14981-y.
88. Dubock A. Golden Rice instructions for use. Agric & Food Secur 6, 60 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40066-017-0136-2.
89. Potrykus I, Lessons from the 'Humanitarian Golden Rice' project: regulation prevents development of public good genetically engineered crop products. New Biotechnology, 2010, 27, 5, 466-472
90. The SUN Movement gathering Scaling Up Nutrition,Kigali, Rwanda meeting 26-28 November 2024 https://scalingupnutrition.org/events/global-gathering/sun-global-gathering-2024
91. The Nutrition for Growth Summit meeting, Paris, France, March 27-28 2025 https://nutritionforgrowth.org/