Biofortification, a cost-effective intervention for micro ...
RT Vol. 2, No. 2 Biofortification breeding for nutrition
3
N early 70% of the world’s poor and malnourished live in Asia, where rice is the staple food. In some of the poorest areas, particularly in South Asia, two-thirds of all calories consumed come from rice. In Bangladesh, where preschool children derive up to 76% of their calories from rice, 56% of them are underweight. What is worse, 73% of young children in B angladesh suffer iron-deciency anemia, challenging their cognitive development. Half of all pregnant women in that country face the same afiction, complicating childbirth. Nearly 4 decades into the Green Revolution, feeding the poor is one thing, adequately nourishing them is another. In 1994, a handful of innovative scientists began asking whether advances in agricultural and nutritional science could be brought to bear to help end all hunger — not just the obvious, grinding hunger manifest in gaunt children, but also the hidden hunger that undermines apparently healthy children by hindering their cognitive growth, crippling their immune systems and eventually stealing their eyesight. As hidden hunger continues to afict over 2 billion in the developing world, the next green revolution, the scientists reasoned, should make staple foods more nutritious. However, such an ambitious undertaking would require new science and new partnerships, observed Howarth Bouis, director of the Biofortication Challenge Program of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR). “Biofortication” is a new term coined to describe an approach to breeding food crops that loads vitamins and minerals into the edible portions of seeds, roots or tubers. In essence, biofortied crops fortify themselves with micronutrients. These crops offer higher nutrient levels straight from the eld, giving poor farmers and sharecroppers, and the urban populations they supply, access to more nutritious food without relying on processing with fortifying additives. “Inducing plants to fortify themselves with vitamins and minerals, and then delivering them to the poor, requires an interdisciplinary alliance of research and implementing institutions all over the globe,” Dr. Bouis said. “Coordinating such an alliance became possible only with the advent of widespread and easy access to the Internet in developing countries as well as developed ones, which has become a reality only recently.” Conventional plant breeding has made some progress toward realizing biofortied crops, notably in IRRI’s work to develop and test rice rich in iron and zinc. Biofortication also capitalizes on biotechnology, which speeds scientists’ efforts to identify genes that intensify nutrient density and to insert them in target crops. In the case of transgenic crops, biotechnology makes possible combinations that could not be achieved through conventional breeding but are of potential benet to billions of consumers. Channels for delivery For decades, the community of scientists focused on human nutrition has worked tirelessly to identify channels for effective delivery of nutrients. Vitamin capsules and mineral supplements are critical interventions for arresting severe malnutrition. Conventional fortication with additives has been successful in reducing some forms of micronutrient deciency in some places; iodized salt, for example, has reduced the incidence of goiter and cretinism. But what about the millions of poor who lack access to the health clinics that dispense supplements and the markets that sell conventionally fortied foods? Other options are needed to reach the millions that remain beyond the reach of existing methods of nutritional intervention. Biofortication of crops may be another piece in the solution to this puzzle. Scientic advances have helped farmers the world over grow more food. Can new advances help them grow food that is inherently more nutritious? by Bonnie McClafferty St ap le s No ns tapl e pl an t Animal and f sh Share of energy intake in rural Bangladesh. GOOD NUTRITION FOR ALL is a puzzle that needs every piece in place. Varied diets, vitamin and mineral supplements, and conventional fortica- tion with additives have proven value. Now biofortication, or breeding for nutrition, may bring the puzzle closer to completion. Breeding for nutrition 80% 17% 3% A R I E L J A V E L L A N A 24 Rice Today October 2003 25 Rice Today October 2003
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Transcript of RT Vol. 2, No. 2 Biofortification breeding for nutrition
7/31/2019 RT Vol. 2, No. 2 Biofortification breeding for nutrition
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/rt-vol-2-no-2-biofortification-breeding-for-nutrition 1/2
Nearly 70% of the world’spoor and malnourishedlive in Asia, where rice isthe staple food. In some
of the poorest areas, particularly
in South Asia, two-thirds of allcalories consumed come from rice.In Bangladesh, where preschoolchildren derive up to 76% of theircalories from rice, 56% of them areunderweight. What is worse, 73% of young children in B angladesh sufferiron-de ciency anemia, challengingtheir cognitive development. Half of all pregnant women in that country face the same af iction, complicatingchildbirth.
Nearly 4 decades into the GreenRevolution, feeding the poor is onething, adequately nourishing them isanother.
In 1994, a handful of innovativescientists began asking whetheradvances in agricultural andnutritional science could be broughtto bear to help end all hunger — not just the obvious, grinding hungermanifest in gaunt children, but alsothe hidden hunger that underminesapparently healthy children by hindering their cognitive growth,crippling their immune systems andeventually stealing their eyesight.
As hidden hunger continues toaf ict over 2 billion in the developing world, the next green revolution,the scientists reasoned, shouldmake staple foods more nutritious.However, such an ambitiousundertaking would require new science and new partnerships,observed Howarth Bouis, directorof the Bioforti cation ChallengeProgram of the Consultative Group onInternational Agricultural Research(CGIAR).
“Bioforti cation” is a new termcoined to describe an approachto breeding food crops that loads vitamins and minerals into the edibleportions of seeds, roots or tubers.In essence, bioforti ed crops fortify themselves with micronutrients.These crops offer higher nutrientlevels straight from the eld, givingpoor farmers and sharecroppers,and the urban populations they supply, access to more nutritious food without relying on processing withfortifying additives.
“Inducing plants to fortify themselves with vitamins andminerals, and then
delivering them tothe poor, requiresan interdisciplinary alliance of researchand implementinginstitutions all overthe globe,” Dr. Bouissaid. “Coordinatingsuch an alliance became possibleonly with the adventof widespread
and easy access to the Internet ideveloping countries as well asdeveloped ones, which has becoreality only recently.”
Conventional plant breedinmade some progress toward rea
bioforti ed crops, notably in IR work to develop and test rice riin iron and zinc. Bioforti catioalso capitalizes on biotechnolog
which speeds scientists’ effortsidentify genes that intensify nutdensity and to insert them in tarcrops. In the case of transgeniccrops, biotechnology makes pocombinations that could not beachieved through conventional
breeding but are of potential beto billions of consumers.
Channels for deliveryFor decades, the community of scientists focused on human nuhas worked tirelessly to identifychannels for effective delivery nutrients. Vitamin capsules andmineral supplements are criticainterventions for arresting severmalnutrition. Conventionalforti cation with additives has successful in reducing some forof micronutrient de ciency in splaces; iodized salt, for examplreduced the incidence of goiter cretinism.
But what about the millionpoor who lack access to the heaclinics that dispense supplementhe markets that sell conventionforti ed foods? Other options aneeded to reach the millions tharemain beyond the reach of eximethods of nutritional interventBioforti cation of crops may be piece in the solution to this puzzl
Scienti c advances
ave helped farmershe world over grow
more food. Can new
dvances help them
grow food that is
inherently more
nutritious?
by Bonnie McClafferty S ta pl es N on st ap le p la nt A ni ma l a nd fs h
Share of energy intake in rural Bangladesh.
D NUTRITION FOR ALL is a puzzle that needspiece in place. Varied diets, vitamin and
ral supplements, and conventional forti ca-with additives have proven value. Nowrti cation, or breeding for nutrition, maythe puzzle closer to completion.
Breedingfor nutrition80%
3%
A R I E L J A V E L L A N A
Rice Today October 2003 Rice Today October 2003
7/31/2019 RT Vol. 2, No. 2 Biofortification breeding for nutrition
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/rt-vol-2-no-2-biofortification-breeding-for-nutrition 2/2
What exactly does it taketo turn a clever idea like thisinto a successful technology and public good? We know that scientists can load suchessential micronutrients asiron, zinc and provitamin A into staple crops, but
can nutrient levels achievesuf cient density to have asigni cant impact on humanhealth? Will farmers takeup bioforti ed crops? Willmalnourished consumers welcome them? How much bene cial impact will theseinnovations nally haveon public health? Whatpartnerships do we need toaccomplish this monumentaltask?
We address the lastquestion rst. Success willdemand the combined efforts of agronomists, plant breeders andgeneticists from advanced researchinstitutes, national research systemsin developing countries, anduniversities in both the developedand developing world. Nutritionists working both in modern laboratoriesand in the eld will formulate preciseobjectives and evaluate the safety of new crops and the bioavailability of nutrients in the bodies of consumers.Sociologists and economists will
Bonnie McClafferty is the coordinator of com-munications for the Bioforti cation ChallengeProgram.
focus delivery of the technology to thepeople who need it most and measureits impact.
Broad alliance
Nongovernmental organizations andextension specialists based primarily in the developing world will facilitateadoption and evaluation. Partnerships with the private sector will provideaccess to patented technologies,regulate their use for the commongood, and disseminate the technology
where it can bemost effective.Communicationsand socialmarketingspecialists will build support forthis innovativeapproach amongthe donor
community and thepublic. In short,success will requirea broad allianceof disciplines andorganizations withcomplementary areas of expertise— an inclusivecollaborationthat depends onall participants
committing valuable resources toachieve a common goal.
Answers to the other questionsregarding the concept’s prospects will become known as bioforti edproducts become available to farmersand consumers.
The International Centerfor Tropical Agriculture and theInternational Food Policy ResearchInstitute are the two CGIAR sistercenters that share leadership of theBioforti cation Challenge Program.They are joining forces with IRRIand other CGIAR centers and — by sharing materials, methods andinformation related to breedingfor nutrition — ensuring that theprogram will have the broadestpossible impact.
Immediately, the program isoverseeing expansion of existing breeding programs. Because of
progress already made, high-iron riceand high-beta carotene (provitamin A) orange- esh sweet potato willlikely be the rst bioforti ed productsout the door. IRRI’s high-iron variety IR68144 (a nontransgenicrice) is already in large-scale humanee ing tria s to test ow e ective y it
alleviates anemia.
BREEDING FOR NUTRITION has potential application across a broad range of staple crops. The Bioforti cation ChallengeProgram coordinates these efforts to bring health bene ts to the world's poor.
26 Rice Today October 2003
