Summary
This paper, published in the Food and Nutrition Bulletin supplement, presents a narrative review of biofortification as a public health strategy for combating hidden hunger — the widespread deficiency of micronutrients such as iron, zinc, and vitamin A among populations reliant on staple crops. Authored by Bouis and colleagues at HarvestPlus, it likely synthesises evidence on the nutritional impact, agronomic feasibility, and cost-effectiveness of biofortification programmes across multiple crop systems and geographies. The paper argues that biofortification offers a sustainable, scalable complement to supplementation and food fortification, particularly in rural areas with limited market access.
UK applicability
This paper is primarily concerned with low- and middle-income country contexts where hidden hunger is most acute; direct applicability to the UK is limited, though the findings are relevant to UK-funded international development policy and institutions such as DFID/FCDO and the Global Crop Diversity Trust.
Key measures
Micronutrient concentration in staple crops (e.g. iron, zinc, vitamin A); estimated coverage of at-risk populations; cost per disability-adjusted life year (DALY) averted
Outcomes reported
The paper examines the potential of biofortification — breeding or agronomic enhancement of staple crops for higher micronutrient content — to address hidden hunger (micronutrient deficiency) in low-income populations. It likely reports on efficacy, delivery reach, and cost-effectiveness relative to other micronutrient interventions.
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