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62 SEEDWORLD.COM SEPTEMBER 2015 RETIRED UNIVERSITY OF Oklahoma agricultural law professor Drew Kershen is a staunch advocate for biotechnology specifically the vitamin A enriched golden rice. Hes also Roman Catholic and believes his faith and his support for biotech go hand-in-hand. My work in agricultural biotechnology is significantly motivated by the belief that this technology offers significant benefits in ways that are consistent with Catholic social teaching and with my obligations as a human being he says. Those include feeding and clothing the poor. Kershens belief that biotech and his religious faith are connected is one reason hes encouraged by the encycli- cal letter released by Pope Francis titled On Care for Our Common Home in which the pope shares his views on the environment calling on people to come together to tackle climate change and the continued acceleration of changes affecting humanity and the planet. The letter which has drawn reactions from around the globe for its acknowl- edgment of climate change includes a brief section on biotechnology. Although Pope Francis stops short of promoting biotechnology he does acknowledge that it has brought about economic growth which has helped to resolve problems. It would be incorrect to say the encyclical endorses biotechnology or is even enthusiastic about it but it is open to it Kershen says. Greater Acceptance In the encyclical Pope Francis says biotechnology is an example of human ingenuity and compares scientists to artists using their God-given abilities to improve the world. Comments like that which come from the leader of the worlds 1.2 billion Catholics are encouraging to Adrian Dubock executive secretary of the Golden Rice Humanitarian Board which is responsible for the Golden Rice Project. Golden rice is a genetically-modified product enriched with beta-carotene designed to alleviate vitamin-A deficiency. Despite its massive potential public misconceptions and political controversy about GMOs have prevented the rice from being available to the countries most affected by vitamin-A deficiency. Vitamin-A deficiency causes blind- ness in 250000 to 500000 children every year half of whom die within a year of losing their eyesight according to the World Health Organization. Vitamin-A deficiency also suppresses the immune systems of children and mothers so that they succumb to common diseases. About 6000 children each day die from lack of vitamin A. In November 2013 following a meeting of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences golden rice co-creator Ingo Potrykus had a brief meeting with Pope Francis during which Francis gave his personal blessing to a small bag of golden rice and the Golden Rice Project. I think all the religious leaders can play their part in transforming world opin- ion on GMO crops Dubock says. Pope Francis isnt the first leader of the Catholic Church to open the door to dis- cussing biotechnology specifically golden rice. In 2004 Potrykus met with Pope John Paul II which lead to his membership of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences and subsequently meetings of the Vaticans Pontifical Academy of Sciences and Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences Popes Openness to Biotech Could Help Pave the Way for GMOs Despite acknowledging their potential proponents say the Catholic Church can do more to speed acceptance of GM products. Marc Zienkiewicz Golden rice co-creator Ingo Potrykus met with Pope John Paul II in 2004 an exchange that led to him being invited to join the Pontifical Academy of Sciences and two Pontifical Academy meetings concerning biotechnology. 6000 childrendie each day from lack of vitamin A. 1.2 billionCatholics inhabit the world. Latin America is home to 40 percentof the worlds Catholics. Catholicism is growing fastest in Africa. FAST FACTS