Malaysia’s Genetically Modified Rice Trial: What’s at Stake?

Rice is a staple food for millions of Malaysians, but a proposed field trial in Perak is raising questions about how we grow it, and who bears the risks when new technologies are introduced. The trial involves genetically modified MR219 rice that has been engineered to tolerate glyphosate, as well as resist certain bacterial and fungal diseases. But 61 organisations representing farmers, consumers and environmental groups are objecting to the trial, citing concerns about the increased use of herbicides, possible genetic contamination of conventional and wild rice, and the lack of clear legal protection for farmers if their crops are contaminated. They also point to concerns about potential impacts on soil and paddy biodiversity, as well as the fact that some toxicological data for this particular GM rice is still unavailable. So, how serious are these concerns, and what could this field trial mean for Malaysia's farmers, food system and food sovereignty? We get Nurfitri Amir Muhammad, a trained microbiologist who is doing his own rice farming, and who is also the coordinator of the Malaysia Food Sovereignty Forum, to help break it down for us. Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.