His research group applied gene technology to contribute to food security in developing countries.

[2] In 1976 he transferred to Basel, Switzerland to establish the area of plant genetic engineering at the Friedrich Miescher Institute.

He knew that of some 3 billion people who depend on rice as their staple crop, around 10% risk some level of vitamin A deficiency.

In 1993, with funding from the Rockefeller Foundation, Potrykus teamed up with Peter Beyer and they launched what would become a seven-year, $2.6 million project to develop Golden Rice.

To this end he has been established collaboration with 14 rice institutions in India, China, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Indonesia, and Philippines.