Summary
This review examines agronomic biofortification — the application of micronutrient fertilisers to increase the nutritional quality of staple crops — as a strategy to combat hidden hunger in sub-Saharan Africa. The authors likely synthesise evidence on the efficacy of zinc, iron, and selenium fertilisation across key staple crops and consider the practical feasibility of scaling such interventions. The paper contributes to the broader literature on complementary strategies alongside conventional plant breeding and dietary diversification for addressing micronutrient malnutrition.
UK applicability
The findings are primarily relevant to low-income agricultural contexts in sub-Saharan Africa and have limited direct applicability to UK farming systems. However, the principles of agronomic biofortification — particularly selenium and zinc fertilisation — are of some relevance to UK arable systems where soil micronutrient availability can be limited.
Key measures
Crop micronutrient concentration (mg/kg); prevalence of micronutrient deficiency; fertiliser application rates
Outcomes reported
The study likely reviewed the effectiveness of fertiliser-based agronomic biofortification strategies in increasing micronutrient concentrations (particularly zinc, iron, and selenium) in staple crops consumed across sub-Saharan Africa. It probably assessed the potential contribution of such approaches to reducing hidden hunger (micronutrient deficiency) in affected populations.
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