Biofortification and food systems research for improved nutrition. A roadmap towards investing in agriculture, food security and nutrition. Presented at the Agriculture Nutrition Linkages Seminar in Dhaka, Bangladesh on the 18th of April, 2012.

1. Gordon Prain and Sreekanth
Attaluri for CIP colleagues
Agriculture – Health Linkages
Research at CIP
Biofortification and food systems
research for improved nutrition

2. Emergence of nutrition and food
security at CIP
 Rootcrop
consumption, 1980s
 Nutrition gardens
research in Asia,
UPWARD, from1990s
 OFSP –based
complementary
babyfoods, Peru,
2000 – 2005
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3.  Nutrition and food
security in cities
through UPA, 2000 -
2010
 VITAA (Vitamin A for
Africa partnership)
from 2001
 Root and Tuber
Crops for food
security in Asia,
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starting 2010

4. SASHA: Sweetpotato Action for
Security and Health in Africa
 Improve nutrition, food security and
livelihoods through untapped potential
of sweetpotato, especially OFSP
 Objective:
 Develop capacities, products and
methods to reposition sweetpotato
in food economies to alleviate
poverty and under-nutrition
 Focus on:
 Varieties; seed; processing;
nutrition education; cross-sectoral
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partnerships and capacity building

5. Biofortification for high iron and
zinc concentration in potatoes
•Fe & Zn concentration
relatively low
•Bioavailability of Fe can be
higher because:
High concentration of vitamin C
Low concentration of phytates
Primary target nutrients: Fe & Zn
Secondary target nutrients:
Promoters: vitamin C and
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carotenoids
Inhibitors: Phenolic compounds

6. Sweetpotato: an untapped food
resource in Bangladesh
 Production of 500,000 tons from 58,000
ha with declining trend
 Grown on marginal lands with minimum
inputs
 Lower than average yield for Asia of 12
t/ha
 Varietal testing, evaluation and release
of nine improved varieties through BARI
(TCRC) and CIP
 High beta-carotene levels
 Yield
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 Salt tolerance
CHALLENGES: LOW STATUS, LOW
PROFITS, REGULATORY ROAD BLOCKS

7. USAID Horticulture Project, CIP/AVRDC
Bangladesh: improving incomes, nutrition and health
through potatoes, sweetpotatoes and vegetables
Partners and Goals
● Key partners BRAC and BARI, Worldfish, CRP4
● In rapid first phase, establish quick gains in capacity building, PVS,
seed multiplication, IPM, baseline and piloting of new value chains and
nutrition interventions
● Building on first phase over three years, generate greater income, food
and nutrition security for 100,000 poor families
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8. Targeting and Objectives
 FtF target region of South-western and South
Central Bangladesh (Barishal, Faridpur,
Jessore)
 Learning site: Chittagong
 Four objectives:
 Varietal development
 Innovative seed systems
 Sustainable cropping systems and crop
management
 Nutrition improvement and value chain development
 Cross-cutting: partnerships, communications,
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gender, M&E

9. Opportunities for sweetpotato
Cyclone
relief crop
Poor families’ rich food
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Multi-system crop For School feeding
processing programs

10. USAID Horticulture Project:
CIP/AVRDC Bangladesh
COP: Dr. Shawkat Ara Begum .
Email: s.a.begum@cgiar.org
Sector Leader Potato/Sweetpotato:
Dr. Mohammad Hossain
Email: hossainbd60@yahoo.co.uk
Regional sweetpotato specialist:
Dr. Sreekanth Attaluri
Email: s.attaluri@cgiar.org
Regional potato specialist:
10 Dr. Mohinder Kadian
Email: m.kadian@cgiar.org