Since the invention of Golden Rice by humanitarian scientists up to eight million children have died from vitamin A deficiency, mostly in the urban slums and remote rural areas of Africa and Asia. Golden Rice contains beta-carotene, and allowing it would mean that families who can only afford to eat rice would be spared this affliction - the largest cause of blindness and death among children in the world.
Greenpeace and its allies lead the opposition to Golden Rice, which has not yet been approved by any country, in spite of being ready for use since 2004. They have condoned the destruction of scientific field trials of Golden Rice in the Philippines, and attempted to discredit the scientists who have proven that Golden Rice provides vitamin A safely and effectively. Their well-funded campaigns use lies and deception about Golden Rice to raise fear in the communities where malnutrition is a severe problem.
The Allow Golden Rice Society, begun by Greenpeace co-founder Dr. Patrick Moore will conduct a public demonstration at the Greenpeace France office in Paris at 11h00 on June 17 to demand they stop opposing Golden Rice and confirm they do not support the destruction of research trials.