Alert on the approval of gene-edited rice seeds in Ecuado

The collective Ecuador Free of Transgenics in Defense of Pachamama alerted about the risk of having modified rice crops in the country through gene editing technology approved by the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock. The organization argues that although gene editing techniques differ from transgenics, the results are similar, especially in herbicide resistance that can generate negative impacts on biodiversity, pollinators and human health. Iniap defended these new techniques as necessary to face challenges such as climate change and assured that the materials are not registered for commercialization. Ecuador has 404,932 commercial hectares of rice, of which only 19% use certified seed, with approximately half produced by Iniap.