MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Rice Research Institute (Philrice) and the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) are tapping the Helen Keller International (HKI) to carry out feeding trials for the pro-Vitamin A-rich Golden Rice which should boost the crop's market potential.

An institution aiming to prevent blindness and malnutrition, HKI has started mapping out a program with Philrice and IRRI on the feeding trial. This may happen at least two years from now after Golden Rice developers will have obtained approval for the nutrient-rich rice.

“We would like to use their expertise, and they're willing to share it in terms of evaluating Golden Rice's bio-efficacy which tests its effectiveness as a Vitamin A deficiency reduction strategy,” said Dr. Antonio A. Alfonso, Philrice Golden Rice breeding chief, in an interview during a forum.

A rice enhanced with beta-carotene, a precursor to Vitamin A or which is transformed into Vitamin A once taken in the body, Golden Rice will go through government's regulatory approval for which Philrice will file commercialization permit by 2013. "Helen Keller will conduct the feeding studies after bio-safety approval will have been granted to us. They will look into its effect of improving Vitamin A availability in the body if a person eats a certain amount and at a certain frequency," he said.

The feeding trial sites will be in identified malnutrition-affected areas likely in Visayas and Mindanao. Once ready for release, Golden Rice will be distributed internationally as it is estimated that some 100 to 200 million children suffer from Vitamin A deficiency globally. But its use in the Philippines will also be extensive with critical population level of Vitamin A deficiency.

HKI's feeding trial will be significant in enhancing marketability of Golden Rice. Golden Rice, originally developed by multinational Syngenta which donated this to the Humanitarian Board, is also being crossed with rice varieties in Bangladesh and India.

"The impact of the work of Helen Keller depends on how well we're able to explain to the public the importance of Vitamin A deficiency. We need to explain to people that Golden Rice is safe and that it is effective in avoiding Vitamin A deficiency," he said.

Another effort of Philrice to enhance its marketability is through an extensive breeding development. This is by making the rice acceptable to farmers by inserting the genetically modified pro-Vitamin A- rich rice trait in rice varieties that are already popular to farmers.