Introduction
A lack of vitamin A is one of the most common nutritional defi ciencies in developing countries. Vitamin A
defi ciency (VAD) can negatively aff ect growth and development, cause blindness, interfere with the growth
of epithelial cells, and suppress the immune system (Sommer, ). Vitamin A can be synthesized from
the β-carotene found in green leafy vegetables and yellow fruits or vegetables, and it can be obtained from
certain animal products (liver, egg yolk, etc).
Rice is a staple food in many developing regions of the world. Unfortunately, it contains no β-carotene in
its milled grain, and is therefore not a source of vitamin A. Rice can be genetically engineered to boost its
nutritional content. It is possible to transfer the genes for β-carotene from a plant that produces it into rice
DNA (Ye et al., ). Th e resulting rice, dubbed “Golden Rice” (GR) because of its yellowish tinge, can
provide a key nutrient in the diet of those who eat it.
In when Golden Rice was fi rst created, it was hailed as the solution to world malnutrition, at the
vanguard of a food revolution. Nearly years later, it is still only a promise. Why have developing nations
been slow to adopt this technology? Is it a worthwhile endeavor? We will hold an intimate debate on the
merits of Golden Rice to tease out the issues surrounding its use in developing countries.
Procedures
Step 1 – Get Informed on One Position (10 min)
Form teams of students. Each team will be given a list of facts on golden rice. Some teams will be given
facts that support a Pro position (Golden Rice is a good strategy for alleviating vitamin A deficiency in
developing nations), and some teams will be given facts that support the Con position (Golden Rice is not
an eff ective means of addressing the vitamin A defi ciency in developing countries). You will have minutes
to review this information and organize your arguments. You may take notes. However, you will not be
allowed to bring the printed fact sheet with you on the next step.
Step 2 – Convince Others of Your Position (2 × 5 min)
Split your team into teams consisting of people. Each mini-team should now meet with a mini-team
from a group that had the opposite position (i.e., a Pro mini-team meets a Con mini-team). Each mini-team
has minutes to convince the opposite team of its position. Members of the presenting team may only use
their notes, not the hand-out. Members of the “audience team” should take notes, as they will be asked to
argue for the other side in the next step. Each person is only allowed to ask ONE question for clarification.
Step 3 – Convince Others of the Opposite Position (2 × 5 min)
Find a mini-team that had the opposite position to your starting position (i.e., if you were initially Con, look
for a second Pro mini-team). Th e procedure is the same as in Step above, except that you must now argue
the other position (not your initial position).
Step 4 – Decision (10 min)
Rejoin your original team. Decide whether your group is for or against the development and use of Golden
Rice in developing nations. Be prepared to summarize the reasons leading to your decision to the whole class