SARILAYA, a 20-year old women's organization in the Philippines, released a press statement encouraging people to eat more vegetables and root crops like sweet potatoes that are rich in Vitamin A instead of Golden Rice, a genetically engineered rice. They oppose Golden Rice due to concerns about potential health risks and corporate control over agriculture. The local women farmers view Golden Rice and GMOs as threats that could contaminate organic farms and hurt the market for traditional, organic vegetables and root crops. They demand access to safe, healthy, and nutritious food produced through sustainable agriculture instead of being "science experiments" for Golden Rice.

1. SARILAYA, Inc.
Office Address: 32 Masikap St. Bgy. Pinyahan, 1100 Q.C.
Tel No.: +632.434.0969 / Email Address: office.sarilaya@gmail.com
FB Page: SARILAYA / Twitter: @SARILAYA
PRESS RELEASE
21 March 2014
Eat more vegetables, plant “Kamote” (sweet potatoes) for Vitamin A – SARILAYA women farmers
No to Corporate Control in Agriculture! No to Golden Rice! -- SARILAYA members
A mobilization organized by MASIPAG in front of PhilRice
The local women farmers of SARILAYA have one message this International Women’s Month: plant and eat
more vegetables and root crops such as “Kamote” for Vitamin A.
Currently, the government is field-testing Golden Rice, a genetically-engineered crop with promises to
address Vitamin A deficiency (VAD). It is already being geared-up for its feed testing and eventual
commercialization.
Serious concerns are raised against Golden Rice because of the possibilities of irreversible damage to health,
food security, environment, culture, farmers and communities.
However, apart from threats to health, environment and food security, the issue is also that of corporate
capture. Golden Rice proponents and GMO companies are making poor farmers their milking cows.
Moreover, they are also tying their hands by depriving them of access, control and stewardship over plant
genetic resources which have been nurtured, exchanged and shared across communities for generation.
This is one concrete example of an economic set-up in a government following a neoliberal framework.
Women farmers say no to this! “Golden Rice and the planting of GMOs is our biggest enemy as organic
farmers. More GM fields mean more possibilities for contamination. Our organic farms are at a higher risk.

2. Once contaminated, there is no technology available to recall the damage done by GMOs, according to Margie
Lacanilao, the Sustainable Agriculture Technician and Coordinator of SARILAYA, a 20-year old women’s
organization focusing on health and environmental issues.
Furthermore, she impressed on the importance for organic farmers to step-up its campaign against Golden
Rice. “Aside from the problem of contamination, Golden Rice is also our biggest competitor because it is
killing the market of our organic vegetables and root crops, discouraging other farmers to shift to organic
farming,” she added.
“Vegetables like ‘Malunggay (Moringa)’ and root crops like ‘Kamote’ are very rich in Vitamin A. So what’s the
need for Golden Rice? At least with Malunggay and Kamote, we know as mothers and consumers that we are
serving safe and nutritious food to our families and that these are very cheap too,” she expressed.
The SARILAYA women farmers collectively say, “We are not science experiments! Don’t feed us and our
families Golden Rice! As mothers and consumers, we demand access to safe, healthy, nutritious and sufficient
food produced through sustainable agriculture!”
Support the call for the right to safe food. Sign on the petition here -
http://www.greenpeace.org/seasia/ph/getinvolved/Take-action-online/stand-up-for-your-rice/?thingstodo.