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

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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

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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

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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

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#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.

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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

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Endorsements for the Kigali Declaration

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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.