Presentation delivered by Dr. Wolfgang Pfeiffer (HarvestPlus, Colombia) at Borlaug Summit on Wheat for Food Security. March 25 - 28, 2014, Ciudad Obregon, Mexico. http://www.borlaug100.org

1. w.pfeiffer@cgiar.org
Wolfgang H. Pfeiffer
Developing and Delivering Zinc Wheat:
The Role of Wheat in Reducing Hidden
Hunger

2. The 21st Century faces Major Food
Security Challenges

3. Environmental degradation Nitrogen
Algae growth from fertilizer N
Sea of Cortez, Mexico
Source: I. Ortiz-Monasterio

4. The loss of Genetic Resources

5. 1987 2003
A dwindling resources base Water
Alvaro Obregon Dam
Yaqui Valley, Sonora
Mexico

6. 2 billion people in the developing world
are iron deficient
Women and children are the
primary victims
Micronutrient Deficiency
Hidden Hunger
2 billion+ affected Photo: C. Hotz

7. HarvestPlus - an interdisciplinary, global alliance
of more than 200 scientific and implementation
partners in over 40 countries that seeks to reduce
hidden hunger and provide micronutrients directly
through … high-yielding, high-profit varieties of
key staple foods that they eat
HarvestPlus is a joint venture between two CGIAR Centers, the International
Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) based in Cali, Colombia and the International
Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) based in Washington, D.C.
addressed by

8. What can We do now?
• Diversify the diet
expensive & out of reach for
many
• Fortify Food e.g. with iron,
iodine
need access to the market -
buy processed food
• Provide Supplements e.g.
vitamin A, iron, zinc
need access to the health care
system - high delivery cost

9. What can Biofortification do?
• Develop wheat, rice, maize,
cassava and other staples
packed with additional vitamins
or minerals….
• Nutritional benefits coming
from the crops, harvest after
harvest, with no additional
costs
• Reach those who are not
reached by other nutrition
interventions

10. HarvestPlus Impact & Product Pathway
Development of Crop Product
Concepts
Discovery: HPlus I 2004-2008
Determine Cost /Benefit
compared to other Interventions
Identify Target Populations &
Staple food consumption
Setting Nutrient Target
Levels
Screening & Determine
Breeding Feasibility

11. Initial Target Areas for Zinc dense Wheat
Baseline
Micronutrient Level
in Commercial Crop
25 µgg-1
Target Increment to
be added
12 µgg-1
ME1: Temperate Irrigated High
Production NWPZ
ME5: Irrigated High
Temperate Stress EGPZ

12. % of Physiologic Requirement1) for Zinc achieved by
different Levels of +12ppm Zinc Wheat Intake
Consumed g/day
%
Requirement
1) Woman in child bearing age

13. Genetic Variation for Zinc & Iron in Wheat
Iron µgg-1
Zinc
µgg-1
Variation to surpass the target in wild
relative species & synthetic wheat
+
Lack of genetic variation in adapted,
high yielding genotypes
-

14. Cakmak et al., 2009
Endosperm
Aleurone
Embryo
High Zinc
Wheat
Low Zinc
Co-localization
Protein
Zinc Iron
Amino Acids

15. HarvestPlus Impact & Product Pathway
Nutrition Retention and
Bioavailability
Nutritional Efficacy Studies
on Human Subjects
Crop Development
Development: HPlus II 2009-2013
GxE Performance Testing in
Target Countries

16. HarvestPlus Impact & Product Pathway
Release C Seed Production
Launch | Test Marketing
Delivery: HPlus III 2014 - 2018
Advocacy
Delivery | Commercialization
Marketing
Awareness | Demand Creation
Acceptability Studies
Market & Product Development
Shakti man

17. Q #1: Can breeding increase nutrients to
levels that improve nutrition?
Will Biofortification Work?

18. Cassava
Vitamin A
Nigeria & DRC
Beans
Iron
Rwanda & DRC
Maize
Vitamin A
Zambia
Release Dates for Crops for Africa & Asia
2007
Sweetpotato
Vitamin A
Uganda
Pearl Millet
Iron
India
Rice
Zinc
Bangladesh
Wheat
Zinc
India | Pakistan 2015
2013
2012 2013
20122011
2013
2012

19. Biofortified crops released in 27 countries
18 in Africa, 4 in Asia, 5 in LAC
In-testing in 43 countries
26 in Africa, 8 in Asia, 9 in LAC
4 Vita-A , 5 Iron , 4 Zinc Crops
Sorghum
Banana
Plantain Cowpea Potato
Lentil

20. Q #2: Are the extra nutrients
bioavailable at sufficient levels to
improve micronutrient status?
Will Biofortification Work?

21. How do we know zinc wheat works?
2008 -
2011
2009 -
2010
2014 -
2015
Sangam Vihar, New Delhi Bangalore
Children 4-6 years &
Women in child bearing age
School children in Bangalore
n=1500 women & 1500 children
per group x 2 groups
n=150 per group x 3 groups
New Delhi; JHU & Subharti Medical
College
ETH & St. John’s Medical College
Zinc wheat contributes a significant proportion of the Zinc EAR in
the target population P
Zinc in biofortified wheat is bioavailable,absorbed and utilized P
Does zinc wheat consumption improve zinc status of women and
children?

22. Q #3: Will farmers adopt zinc wheat
and will consumers buy & eat in
sufficient quantities?
Will Biofortification Work?

23. > 1.5 million farming households reached 2011 - 2013
> 7.5 million farming household members consuming
Delivery / Commercialization
> 1.1 million
farming
households
targeted in
2014

24. Crop Development , Testing & Commercialization
Partnership
Public Sector:
DWR – (ICAR)
IARI - Delhi
PAU - Ludhiana
BHU - Varanasi
CIMMYT
Private Sector:
Ankur Seeds, Ajeet Seeds,
Astha Beej Ltd, Bayer Crop
Science, DCM Shriram
Ltd., Krishidhan, Mahyco,
Nirmal Seeds, Nuziveedu
Seeds, Pantnagar Tarai
Agri Seeds, Rasi Seeds,
Shakati Vardhak, Sri Sai
Seeds, Shriyanshi Seeds

25. What is the Way Forward?
Photo: Neil Palmer (CIAT)

26. HarvestPlus III will demonstrate the
viability of biofortification as a global
solution and lay foundation for scale
by
HarvestPlus III 2014-2018 Strategic Priorities
Research,
communicate and
advocate
strategically
Strengthen the
pipeline of
biofortified
varieties
Scale up delivery in
target countries and
expand delivery to new
countries

27. HarvestPlus Phase III Strategic Priorities
Scale up delivery in target
countries and expand
delivery to new countries
Target Countries
• Implement country level
business plans
Expansion Countries
• Scale up delivery of
prioritized crops in target
geographies through
partnerships
• Develop & deploy technical
assistance capabilities to
support partnerships

28. Quick Assessment of the Relative Role/Value
of Main Partner Groups

29. Breed competitive crops to
target nutrient levels and
broader applicability across
agro-ecological zones & uses
Molecular markers &
diagnostic tool development
Zinc as core trait / non-
negotiable trait → endorsed
by CG-Center DGs
Anti-nutrients & promoters
Phytate / Phytase …
Strengthen the
pipeline of biofortified
varieties
• Successfully develop next
waves of crops
• Enhance knowledge base
& deliver improved
enabling technologies
• Mainstream biofortification
• Improve bioavailability of
zinc and iron
HarvestPlus Phase III Strategic Priorities

30. Thank You!

32. Wheat India – Eastern Gangetic Plains Zone
Test marketing of 5 zinc
wheat leads - 1000 mini-
kits in 2013 -2014;
additional leads are in
testing