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Biofortification: Towards Bridging Agriculture and Nutrition Divides in Nigeria
Chiedozie Egesi and Paul Ilona
Micronutrient Malnutrition
Micronutrient malnutrition or the hidden hunger affects about half the world’s population.
Mostly affecting women and preschool children in developing countries.
Despite past progress in controlling micronutrient deficiencies through supplementation and food fortification, new approaches are needed to expand the reach of food-based interventions.
Susceptibility to common diseases
Poor immune system
Stunting and wasting
Permanent physical impairment
Limited cognitive development
The Burden of Micronutrient Deficiency
Consequences Mineral & Vitamin Deficiencies
Vitamin A deficiency• Supplements reduced child mortality by 23%• 375,000 children go blind each year
4
Zinc deficiency• increased incidence/severity diarrhea/pneumonia; stunting• 2 billion people; 450,000 deaths each year
Iron deficiency• Impaired cognitive abilities that cannot be reversed• 82% of children < 2 years in India are anemic
Nationwide, 29.5% of children under 5 suffered from vitamin A deficiency
About 26% iron deficiency among children under 5
Nigeria among 10 countries in the world with the largest number of underweight children, with an estimated 6 million children under 5 who are underweight.
Prevalence of Iron and Vitamin A deficiency in children under 5 years in Nigeria by agro-ecological
zone
A repeated study in 2010 indicated the same trend!
Biofortification
Biofortification uses conventional plant breeding and modern biotechnology to increase the micronutrient density of staple crops.
It holds great promise for improving the nutritional status and health of poor populations in both rural and urban areas of the developing world.
Spans from genetic crop improvement to research on the impact of biofortified crops on human health
What is Biofortification?
Biofortification is the development of nutrient-dense staple crops using the best conventional breeding
practices and modern biotechnology, without sacrificing agronomic performance and important
consumer-preferred traits
Modified from Nestel et al., 2006
clay
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Iron, zinc, calcium, pro-vitamin A carotenoids,
folate, amino acids, prebiotics, etc.
Biofortification-breeding food crops that are more nutritious
Biofortification – One Piece of the Puzzle
Supplementation Commercial Fortification
Agricultural Interventions
Dietary Diversity
10
Biofortification Fortification Supplementation
In the Crop In the Factory On the Plate
Biofortification in the Value Chain
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BiofortificationDiet Diversification (own-production)Fertilizers
Fortification SupplementationDiet Diversification (food purchases)Micronutrient Powders
In the Crop In the Factory On the Plate
Biofortification in the Value Chain
Why Staple crops in Nigeria? Calorie production focuses on starchy roots and cereals – despite larger dietary gaps
Source: Herforth 2010, based on FAO data
Copenhagen Consensus
TOP FIVE SOLUTIONS CHALLENGE
1 Micronutrient supplements for children (vitamin A and zinc) Malnutrition
2 The Doha development agenda Trade
3 Micronutrient fortification (iron and salt iodization) Malnutrition
4 Expanded immunization coverage for children Diseases
5 Biofortification Malnutrition
Does Biofortification Work?
• Nutrient levels can be increased to high enough levels in high-yielding backgrounds
• The extra nutrients are absorbed at sufficient levels that micronutrient status is improved
• Encouraging evidence that farmers will adopt and consumers buy/eat in sufficient quantities
• Biofortification is being mainstreamed
Nutrient Concentration in Staple Crops can be Increased through Plant Breeding
Courtesy: César Martínez, CIAT
02468
101214
Perc
ent
N 4851Mean 3.92Std Deviation 1.20
2008 Normal
0.45 1.05 1.65 2.25 2.85 3.45 4.05 4.65 5.25 5.85 6.45 7.05 7.6502468
101214
Perc
ent
N 1819Mean 5.69Std Deviation 1.21
2009
Fe (mg/kg)
Normal
02468
101214
Perc
ent
N 4667Mean 3.20Std Deviation 1.26
Normal
2007
Fedearroz 50
IR - 64
Baseline
#1 Breeding can increase nutrient levels to nutrition target levels in high-yielding crops
Cassava
Vitamin A
Nigeria & DRC
Beans
Iron
Rwanda & DRC
Maize
Vitamin A
Zambia
Release Dates for Crops for Africa & Asia
2007Sweetpotato
Vitamin A
Uganda
Pearl MilletIron
India
Rice
Zinc
Bangladesh
Wheat
Zinc
India | Pakistan 2015
2013
2012 2013
20122011
2013
2012
Launching of Pro-vitamin A Cassava Varieties 16th March 2012
Present Reach of Biofortification
21
#2 In nutrition efficacy trials, biofortified varieties improve micronutrient status
Photo: Harriet Nsubuga
Human Nutrition Efficacy Trials
Fourteen Efficacy Trials either completed or in process
–High iron crops +• Meta-analysis completed for beans and pearl millet
–High pro-vitamin A crops • Multiple efficacy trials completed for sweetpotato,
maize, and cassava
–High zinc crops• Bioavailability studies positive, efficacy trials in the field
Nutrition Impacts• Efficacy trials with iron biofortified crops have
also shown improved functional outcomes:–Improved cognitive function–Better work performance
• Biofortified crops, as consumed, provide an extra 40% of estimated average requirement each day – substituting one-for-one the biofortified variety for the existing non-biofortified variety.
25
Daily Requirement for Adult Women = 12 mg Zn/day
Non-Biofortified Rice Varieties 400 grams milled rice x 15 mg Zn/kg = 6 mg Zn/day
Released Biofortified Rice Varieties (+25% of EAR) 400 grams milled rice x 22 mg Zn/kg = 9 mg Zn/day
Future Biofortified Rice Varieties (+50% of EAR) 400 grams milled rice x 30 mg Zn/kg = 12 mg Zn/day
Percent of Estimated Average Requirement:Example of Bangladesh Zinc
Photo: Hugo de Groote
#3 Mounting evidence that farmers will adopt biofortified crops and consumers will eat them
Orange Sweet Potato
• Vitamin A-rich orange sweet potato (OSP) was released to 24,000 households in Mozambique and Uganda from 2007-2009
• Findings from the project have shown high rates of adoption and consumption, resulting in increased vitamin A intakes among women and children
• Distribution of OSP has been scaled-up in Uganda by HarvestPlus to reach 225,000 households by 2016
Photo: HarvestPlus
Impact on vitamin A intakes
Target Countries and Crops
More than 2 million farming households reached by HarvestPlus. Crops released are high-yielding with climate smart traits.
Challenges for Phase 3 (2014-18)
Scale up Delivery in Target Countries • 9 target countries (adding Ethiopia)• Develop specific deployment strategies• Establish in-country staff/office • Establish networks of collaborators and
stakeholders• New releases from breeding pipeline• Measure cost-effective impact
Challenges for Phase 3 (2014-18)
Mainstream Breeding• Make breeding for minerals and vitamins
“core” breeding objectives at CGIAR Centers and NARS– Develop markers– Lower costs of breeding– All elite breeding lines should have the relevant
genes that convey the high mineral and vitamin traits; any cross will contain these genes
Additional Efficacy Evidence• 1,000 Days – mothers pre-pregnancy and infants
• Seed companies (Nirmal in India)• International financial institutions (World
Bank, IFAD)• Multi-lateral agencies (World Food Program,
Codex)• National governments (Brazil, China, India)• Regional frameworks (African Union) • International NGOs (World Vision)
Mainstreaming Through Key Stakeholders
Second Global Conference on Biofortification
• Kigali, Rwanda: March 30 - April 2, 2014• 300+ leaders from more than 40 countries• Purpose:
– How to Bring Biofortification to Scale: Translating evidence into wide-scale adoption and reach
– Discussion of gaps and challenges, opportunities and solutions, and developing a plan of action
33
Endorsements for the Kigali Declaration
34
Engagement of Policy Makers for Biofortification
Nigeria now recognizes Biofortification as a sustainable intervention strategy to manage micronutrients deficiencies.
Nominated in Best Movie Category at 2015 Africa Movie Viewers’ Choice Awards
Agriculture-Nutrition Links
Own production vs Food consumption Source: Anna Herforth and Jody Harris (2013)
Mainstreaming Nutrition-Sensitive Agriculture
What we must do NOW!
1. A high profile advocacy effort to raise the profile of nutrition sensitive agriculture and shape agricultural policy efforts that would enhance nutrition in Nigeria.
2. Create a shared understanding and engage international expertise and best practices on nutrition transformative agricultural policies and programmes.
3. Launch a set of finalized policy instruments towards entrenching nutrition in agriculture in Nigeria.
4. Mobilize critical stakeholders around the policy instruments to catalyze investment, resources and support around key priorities.
5. Provide a multi-sectoral and multi-stakeholder platform to promote relevant initiatives towards mainstreaming nutrition into agriculture in Nigeria.
Key Elements of Nutrition Policy Development
1. Adapting a Nutrition – Agriculture Policy that fits the socio-cultural context of Nigeria.
2. Consistent support for the implementation and mainstreaming of Nutrition into Agriculture in Nigeria.
3. Motivating investments for evidence to promote policy and programmatic priorities for nutrition sensitive agriculture.
4. Innovative models for addressing key challenges including financing in mainstreaming nutrition into agriculture.
5. Actions to support the role of the private sector in improving access to and consumption of nutritious foods.
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