What Green Revolution?(genetically modified food could save lives in Africa)(Column)

It was one of those rare inventions that could save the world. Back in the mid-1990s, Swiss scientist Ingo Potrykus and his collaborators came up with a genetically modified strain of rice containing beta-keratin, a precursor to vitamin A. Soon dubbed "golden rice," Potrykus's creation had the potential to save millions of children in the developing world from the deadly effects of vitamin-A deficiency. But first he needed a good lawyer. To bring the new strain to market, Potrykus soon discovered, he would need to strike deals with as many as 30 different biotech companies claiming patents on the technologies he used to create his rice. Potrykus was lucky: though it took ...