Biofortified Maize For Nutritional Security

Micronutrients such as vitamins, amino acids and minerals are required in minor quantities but are essential for normal growth and development of humans.

- Firoz Hossain

Since human body cannot synthesize many of these micronutrients, these are to be provided through dietary means. Foods deficient in such micronutrients leads to ‘malnutrition’ – popularly phrased as ‘hidden hunger’. It affects nearly 88 percent of the countries that suffer from two or three forms of malnutrition. Worldwide, an estimated two billion people suffer from micronutrient deficiency, while 815 million people are undernourished. 155 million children under the age of five are stunted, while 52 million do not weigh enough according to height (wasting). Nearly 45 percent of deaths among children under age five are linked to malnutrition. In India, 21.9 percent of the population lives in poverty, and therefore they are vulnerable to various health problems. 38.4 percent of children (<5 years) in India are stunted, while 21 percent and 35.7 percent are wasted and under weight, respectively. Malnutrition contributes to global burden of disease, and loss in annual gross domestic product (GDP) in Asia and Africa to an extent of 11 percent. Considering its wide spread ramification, the global community set ‘Sustainable Development Goals’ (SDGs) for sustainable development where improved nutrition being the platform for progress in health, education, employment, female empowerment, and poverty. It has been estimated that alleviating malnutrition is one of the most cost-effective steps with every $1 invested in a proven nutrition programme offers benefits worth $16.

Diverse Strategies to Alleviate Malnutrition Fortification: Here, micronutrients are artificially added with food. One of the best examples is iodized salt, where a required quantity of iodine is consumed along with the salt. Wheat flour double fortified with iron and folate is also used in many countries. Niacin fortified bread to overcome pellagra is another such example.