Summary
This review, authored by key architects of the HarvestPlus programme, synthesises over a decade of evidence on biofortification as a strategy to reduce micronutrient malnutrition through the breeding of nutrient-dense staple crops. It covers agronomic performance, nutritional efficacy demonstrated in controlled feeding studies, and early evidence of adoption and impact at scale in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. The paper argues that biofortification offers a cost-effective, complementary intervention to supplementation and dietary diversification for reaching rural populations with limited access to diverse diets.
UK applicability
The findings are primarily relevant to low- and middle-income country contexts where micronutrient deficiency is prevalent and dietary diversity is constrained; direct applicability to UK conditions is limited, though the evidence base may inform UK-funded international development policy and global food security research priorities.
Key measures
Micronutrient concentration in crops (e.g. iron, zinc, vitamin A in mg/kg or µg/g); bioavailability estimates; serum micronutrient status in human feeding trials; crop adoption rates; disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) averted
Outcomes reported
The review examines evidence on the efficacy and effectiveness of biofortified staple crops in improving micronutrient status and health outcomes in target populations across multiple low- and middle-income countries. It reports on breeding progress, adoption rates, and nutritional impact of HarvestPlus biofortification programmes between 2003 and 2016.
Topic tags
Dig deeper with Pulse AI.
Pulse AI has read the whole catalogue. Ask about this record, its theme, or how the findings apply to UK farming and policy — every answer cites the underlying studies.