When are locally adapted Golden Rice varieties expected to be in the hands of resource-poor farmers?
Donated seeds are being bred into locally preferred varieties in India and in the Philippines. Field trials in these countries are expected to carried out in 2006. The results of these trials will then form the basis of breeding work by the Golden Rice Networks breeders, to introgress the trait into many more selected locally adapted rice varieties which will be attractive to rice farmers in VAD areas. The transfer of the technology to local rice varieties and the necessary biosafety and efficacy testing is expected to take another two to four years, depending entirely upon the speed with which regulatory tests and conditions are completed .
GR2 has been bred into locally preferred varieties in India and in the Philippines. Field trials are being conducted and the regulatory process is in full motion. With time, the selected GR2 will have been bred in locally adapted public varieties in all target countries. The transfer of the technology to local rice varieties and the necessary biosafety and efficacy testing is is ongoing and will take another two to four years to complete. Much depends on the regulatory environment of each country.
