2. What is bio-fortified crop?
• Food crops (staple) that are more
nutritious
• Most often means increased content of
essential micronutrients (minerals and
vitamins)
• Developed through plant breeding (incl.
genetic engineering)
3. Why are micronutrients so
important?
• Deficiency affect blindness, birth defects, mental health, and child
survival.
• Vitamin A & Zinc important for immune system -deficiency
increases mortality
• Lack of vitamin A can lead to blindness
• Iron needed for physical & cognitive development
• Zinc deficiency causes stunting in children
• Women and young children most affected
• 1 out of 3 people in developing countries suffers
• In Bangladesh, over 40 % children under five are stunted while an
estimated 44 % percent of the same age group are at risk of zinc
deficiency
6. What are the advantages of
biofortification?
• Capitalizes the regular daily intake of food staples .
Implicitly targets low-income households
• After the one-time investment to develop fortified seeds ,
recurrent costs are low; and fortified seeds shared
internationally. Cost-effective
• Once in place, the biofortified crop system is highly
sustainable
• Fortified seed not incur a yield penalty. May have important
indirect effects in increasing farm productivity by helping
plants resist to disease and other environmental stresses.
7. Biofortified Nutrients Target
Crop Targeted nutrients
Rice Zinc and iron
Wheat Zinc and iron
Maize β-Carotene and zinc
Cassava β-Carotene
Beans Iron
Sweet potato β-Carotene
Pearl millet Iron and zinc
Banana and plantain β-Carotene
Lentil Iron
Potato Iron
Sorghum Iron
Based on population needs, and the crop consumption by
vulnerable populations, and the potential to achieve
increased levels micronutrients through conventional
breeding
8. Current Scale/Pipeline of Biofortified
Crops
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
9. Crops Released: Africa
2007
2011 2012
2012
OSP
Pro Vitamin A
Uganda
Cassava
Pro Vitamin A
Nigeria DR
Congo
Maize
Pro Vitamin A
Nigeria
Zambia
Beans
Iron(Zinc)
Rwanda DR
Congo
Crops are high-yielding and with other traits farmers want
10. Crops Released: Asia
2013
Rice
Zinc
Bangladesh India
(2015)
Pearl Millet
Iron (Zinc)
India
Wheat
Zinc
India
(TLS)Pakistan(2015)
Crops are high-yielding and with other traits farmers want
2012 2013
11.
12.
13. • HarvestPlus and its partners work in 58
districts across the country to promote the
availability, adoption, and consumption of
zinc rice.
• The goal is that 1.4 million farming
households will be growing zinc rice by 2018
Program
14. BRRI Dhan 62
• World’s 1st Zinc-rich variety released in 2013
• High protein (9%)
• High Zinc (22-27 ppm) in polished stage, 30% higher than local
varieties, zinc in the endosperm rather the outer periphery of the
grain
• Long slender similar to BRRI Dhan 28
• Matures 100 days, faster than some traditional varieties
• Suitable for T Amam-Mustard/Potato or Boro/Mung-Aus
• Avg yield potential 4.2 MT/ha in T Aman
Progress & Opportunity
15. • 2nd rice variety with higher zinc content and yield
than 1st variety
• Zinc 25 ppm, with yield over 6 MT/ha in Boro
• These variety capable of fighting diarrhoea and
pneumonia-induced childhood deaths and
stunting
• icddrb,b & its partner is assessing rice and total
dietary zinc intakes in the country
• 3rd variet BRRI dhan72, T. Aman, 6-7.5; 125-130; 23
BRRI Dhan 64
Opportunity & Impact
16. #SL Variety Season Grain Days to Zn(mg/kg)
Yield (t/ha) maturity
01 BR7671-37-2-2-3-7 Boro 6.1-6.2 145 27.2
02 BR7833-11-1-1-2-1-2B5Boro 5.7-6.0 141 29.7
03 BRRI dhan28(ck) Boro 6.0-6.1 145 16.8
04 BRRI dhan49 (Ck) T. Aman 4.4-5.0 125 -
PROPOSED LINES OF HIGH ZINC RICE
Progress & Opportunity
17. • The government, NGOs and private seed sectors
started supplying seeds to farmers and informed
them of this technology
• High Zinc rice intake stared
• Raise hope for 4 rice/year
• As per international collaboration, the zinc-enriched
rice varieties developed in Bangladesh are now
expected to export to Cambodia, Indonesia, the
Philippines and Vietnam
Impact
18. Efforts to be make
• Need to reach farm households with commercial seed
• Need to develop sustainable markets for this seed and grain
to catch a substantial market share
• Convincing farmers and consumers that biofertified crop is
worth growing and consuming
• Providing public health education on the benefits of eating
biofortified foods
• Developing agricultural infrastructure for adoption of new
biofortified varieties
• Building effective partnerships of researchers and
entrepreneurs
19. Conclusion
• Biofortification very important for controlling
micronutrient deficiencies
• Now need to get consumer acceptance,
thereby increasing the intake of the target
nutrients. With the advent of good seed
systems, the development of markets and
products, and demand creation, this can
become a reality
20. Thank YOU ALL
Acknowledgement: For data sources
Website of HarvestPlus, IRRI, BRRI & their valued
partners
News articles/website/blog
