Biofortification: A Lifesaver for Women and Children.

Statistics released by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in the year 2015 reveal that 795 million people in the world do not have enough food to lead a healthy life with a majority of the world’s hungry people living in developing countries  and 12.9 percent of the population being undernourished.

Similarly, hidden hunger which is also referred to as micronutrient deficiencies or malnutrition affects nearly two billion people globally.Thankfully, there is hope for a positive change which is evident in the Sustainable Development Goals, among which is the goal of achieving zero hunger by the year 2030.

Now, how can we achieve zero hunger and put smiles on the faces of people? The good news is that ‘biofortification’ has a wonderful answer!

Understanding the Concept of Biofortification

According to HarvestPlus, an organization leading global biofortification efforts, biofortification is the process of breeding food crops that are rich in micronutrients such as vitamin A, zinc and iron.Hence, biofortification is indispensable because it focuses on improving the nutritional qualities of crops as they grow on the farm rather than adding nutrients manually during processing.

This is achieved through plant breeding, whereby breeders crossbreed existing varieties of crops which are naturally high in nutrients with high-yielding varieties to produce seeds that are both high-yielding and highly nutritious. This makes it possible to provide nutritious food for the rural population who lack access to commercially fortified food.

Examples of Biofortified Food Crops

So far, micronutrients which have been targeted for biofortification are vitamin A, iron and zinc. This is due to their high nutritional and health benefits. Some of the biofortified food crops, as released by HarvestPlus include:

• Vitamin A Cassava
• Vitamin A Maize
• Vitamin A Sweet Potato
• Iron Beans
• Iron Pearl Millet
• Zinc Rice
• Zinc Wheat

What Specific Problems is Biofortification Solving?

It has been made clear by UNICEF that the following micronutrient deficiencies have significant effects on women and children in particular:

Firstly, ‘vitamin A deficiency weakens the immune system and increases a child’s risk of contracting and dying from infections like measles and diarrhoea illnesses.’ In addition, childhood blindness and poor eyesight are also caused by vitamin A deficiency.

Secondly, ‘iron deficiency can lead to anaemia, which increases the risk of haemorrhage and bacterial infection during childbirth and is implicated in maternal deaths.’ This can also result in the birth of premature babies who further suffer from infections, learning disabilities and delayed development.

Thirdly, ‘zinc deficiency impairs the immune functions and it is also associated with increased risk of gastrointestinal infections.’

Therefore, biofortification helps to turn things around for everyone especially women and children, by making it possible to overcome those problems by simply consuming nutrient-rich biofortified food grown by farmers.

Other Benefits of Biofortification

Biofortification makes it possible for people, especially children and lactating mothers, to meet their daily nutritional needs without additional cost. Also, biofortification enables farmers to raise healthier families, improve their livelihoods and generate more revenue.Biofortification also provides an opportunity to achieve zero hunger in a cost-effective manner.

Promoting the Use of Biofortified Food Crops

Considering the crucial benefits of biofortified food crops, there is the need to promote their cultivation and consumption among farmers and final consumers respectively. This can be achieved by creating adequate awareness and public enlightenment campaign on the benefits of biofortified food crops.

Moreover, there is need to improve agricultural extension systems so as to educate the farmers on the best and effective methods of cultivating the biofortified crops.Also, there is need to build strong partnership and collaboration among agriculture, health and education sectors because each sector has vital roles to play in ensuring effective use of biofortified food crops. The integration of biofortification into agricultural, nutritional and health policies of governments would also go a long way.

Recommendations

The future of every nation depends, to a large extent, on investment in women and children! Therefore, investing in the nutrition, health and livelihoods of women means improving the nutrition, health and lives of their children; thereby securing the future of nations.Of course, men need to continue to play a key role in preparing the children for a bright future while also providing encouragement for the women.

In conclusion, let us promote biofortification and put an end to hunger and malnutrition globally. We can achieve zero hunger!