Improving nutrition through biofortification: A review of evidence from HarvestPlus, 2003 through 2016
نویسندگان
چکیده
Biofortification is a feasible and cost-effective means of delivering micronutrients to populations that may have limited access to diverse diets and other micronutrient interventions. Since 2003, HarvestPlus and its partners have demonstrated that this agriculture-based method of addressing micronutrient deficiency through plant breeding works. More than 20 million people in farm households in developing countries are now growing and consuming biofortified crops. This review summarizes key evidence and discusses delivery experiences, as well as farmer and consumer adoption. Given the strength of the evidence, attention should now shift to an action-oriented agenda for scaling biofortification to improve nutrition globally. To reach one billion people by 2030, there are three key challenges: 1) mainstreaming biofortified traits into public plant breeding programs; 2) building consumer demand; and 3) integrating biofortification into public and private policies, programs, and investments. While many building blocks are in place, institutional leadership is needed to continue to drive towards this ambitious goal.
منابع مشابه
From harvest to health: challenges for developing biofortified staple foods and determining their impact on micronutrient status.
BACKGROUND The use of conventional breeding techniques and biotechnology to improve the micronutrient quality of staple crops is a new strategy to address micronutrient deficiencies in developing countries. This strategy, referred to as "biofortification," is being developed and implemented through the international alliance of HarvestPlus to improve iron, zinc, and vitamin A status in low-inco...
متن کاملBiofortification: a new tool to reduce micronutrient malnutrition.
BACKGROUND The density of minerals and vitamins in food staples eaten widely by the poor may be increased either through conventional plant breeding or through the use of transgenic techniques, a process known as biofortification. OBJECTIVE HarvestPlus seeks to develop and distribute varieties of food staples (rice, wheat, maize, cassava, pearl millet, beans, and sweet potato) that are high i...
متن کاملHarvestPlus Statement on the Potential Benefits of Biofortification on the Nutritional Status of Populations
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Retention of Provitamin A Carotenoids in Staple Crops Targeted for Biofortification in Africa: Cassava, Maize and Sweet Potato
HarvestPlus, part of the Consultative Group on Internation Agriculture research (CGIAR) Program on Agriculture for Nutrition and Health (A4NH) uses conventional plant breeding techniques to develop staple food crops that are rich in micronutrients, a food-based approach to reduce micronutrient malnutrition known as biofortification. The nutritional breeding targets are established based on the ...
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1 HarvestPlus Technical Monographs are designed to provide a forum for HarvestPlus research outputs. Technical Monographs can be of two kinds: • state-of-the-art reviews that help to establish and define HarvestPlus research questions or, • "gold standard" procedures to be followed in HarvestPlus research. HarvestPlus technical monographs are written by recognized experts in the field and are e...
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