Figure: The varieties of Golden Rice produced by the Philippine Rice Research Institute were displayed in the Talakayan sa PIA, May 17, at SM Downtown Premier, Cagayan de Oro City. Photo and caption from SAYU/PIA-10.

The Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) announced that it has chosen the province of Lanao del Norte to identify a farmer cooperative that will plant Golden Rice as part of the seed production in preparation for the distribution to households in the Philippines.

In the media briefing Talakayan sa PIA held on May 17, 2022, broadcasted by the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) Region 10, Dr. Ronan Zagado, Program Leader of Golden Rice-Project Management Office of the Department of Agriculture-PhilRice, announced that they are now working on the Golden Rice seeds deployment in the province of Lanao del Norte located in the northwestern part of the main island of Mindanao in the Philippines. The seeds will be given for free as part of the pilot scale deployment and the province was the first to identify a farmer cooperative that will plant Golden Rice. Dr. Zagado added that Golden Rice was developed to make rice healthier for the consumers. It has a higher beta-carotene content than regular rice to address Vitamin A deficiency, but it is expected to cost and taste just the same. It will eventually be distributed to households with malnutrition incidence.

More details can be found in the press release by the Philippine Information Agency and the report by Business Week Mindanao.