Biofortification, biodiversity and diet: A search for complementary applications against poverty and malnutrition

Biofortification, the focus of the HarvestPlus program of the Consultative Group on International Agriculture Research (CGIAR), represents a potentially powerful tool to increase dietary intake of essential nutrients in staple foods. This paper evaluates the compatibility of biofortification with th...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inFood policy Vol. 32; no. 1; pp. 1 - 24
Main Authors Johns, Timothy, Eyzaguirre, Pablo B.
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Elsevier Ltd 01.02.2007
Elsevier
SeriesFood Policy
Subjects
Biodiversity
Biofortification
Biotechnology
Dietary diversity
Genetically modified organisms
Malnutrition
Micronutrients
Plant genetic resources
Biotechnology
Micronutrients
Plant genetic resources
Biofortification
Dietary diversity
Biodiversity
Malnutrition
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Summary:Biofortification, the focus of the HarvestPlus program of the Consultative Group on International Agriculture Research (CGIAR), represents a potentially powerful tool to increase dietary intake of essential nutrients in staple foods. This paper evaluates the compatibility of biofortification with the preferred option of dietary diversification and its potential impacts on the agricultural biodiversity essential for long term sustainability. In poor countries, biofortification requires increasing public investment in agricultural research and infrastructure for success. Rather than cereal commodities, biofortification for developing countries should focus on vegetatively propagated species or in improving quality of coarse cereals, as well as fodders. Community participatory approaches that identify local food resources with nutritional, agronomic and economic advantages to small-scale farmers could complement and set targets for biofortification as one of many approaches to alleviate nutritional deficiencies. Furthermore using agricultural biodiversity to reinforce dietary diversity can help situate biofortification within the larger context of sustainable food-based approaches. In this light, this paper evaluates specific biofortification interventions from environmental, sociocultural, political, economic, ethical, and biomedical perspectives.
Bibliography:http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.foodpol.2006.03.014
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ISSN:0306-9192
1873-5657
DOI:10.1016/j.foodpol.2006.03.014