Biofortification - improving the food plate.

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Why biofortification? 

The growing human population along with increase in need of food supply result in lack of food with proper nutrition. This results in fighting hunger but on the other hand some people suffers from overweight. These are continuously increasing within different countries. 

Hidden hunger 

Occurs when the food quality consumed doesn't meet the required level ie lack of minerals and vitamins. So it may result in deficiency of vitamins and minerals in human body. 

Here comes the way to solution for both cases -" BIOFORTIFICATION "

Biofortification

Biofortification or biological fortification is the process of breeding and delivering staple food crops that are naturally enriched with micronutrients. 

This differs from ordinary fortification because it focus on increasing the nutrition values of food being consumed. Now it have been used as an upcoming tenchique to meet the deficiencies of micronutrients in low and middle income countries . 

Methods to producing  biofortified crops

Selective breeding

The process of conventional breeding were used by the breeders. Here the high yielding existing varieties and the crops with high nutrient content are selected from the seed or germplasm bank. Both the crop plants are allowed to cross. Thus the obtained variety is examined by the nutritionists to check it's impact on human health. For eg bread wheat with high iron and zinc has been developed through rational breeding. 

This process is mostly carried to satisfy their nutrient requirements. 


Genetic modification

The genetic engineering tenchique is used for the incorporation of required nutrient in the existing crops. For eg Golden rice - potential to overcome vitamin A deficiency . Here the gene are transformed from common soil bacterium Erwinia and maize. So that it has high amount of beta carotene which is further converted into vitamin A when it's consumed. 


Seed priming 

It's a process Carried out at the time of pre sowing. For eg seed priming in wheat plants with iron oxide nano particles before sowing increase the nutrient value of the grain. 

Pathway for biofortification

Discovery 

To identify the target population and set the nutrient target level, screen the germplasm and discover the gene

Development

Breed the biofortified crops followed by testing the performance of new crop varieties. Measure the nutrient retention in crops and evaluate the nutrient absorption and impact. 

Dissemination 

The seeds are dessiminated to promote marketing and consumption. 

Thus by this the nutrient status of the population is thus improved. 

Importance of biofortification

The important of this process is that it reduces the need of consumption of various food as most of the required nutrients are incorporated in the single crop. 

Improving Indian thali into nutritious thali

At present in India on October 16 2020  on 75th Anniversary of Agriculture and food organization (FAO) , the United nations, the prime minister shri Narendra modi dedicated 17 biofortified varieties of 8 crops to the nation. 

The aim of this is to promote the food plate of Indian's into a nutritious plate. He also emphasises that these varieties of crops will be linked with other government programme like middaymeal, anganwadi etc., to make india free from hunger and malnutrition and also to higher the farmers income thereby it also helps in opening new avenues  for entrepreneurship development. 

The newly dedicated biofortified varieties are as follows

Rice variety 

CR Dhan 315 - high zinc content

Wheat varieties

HI 1633 - rich in protein, zinc, iron

HD 3298 - rich in protein and iron

DBW 303 -rich in protein and iron 

DDW 48 - rich in protein and iron

Maize variety

Maize hybrid varieties 1,2,3 - enriched with lysine and tryptophan

Millet varieties

 Finger millet variety :CFMV 1 and 2 - rich in calcium, iron, zinc

Small millet variety : CCLMV 1 - rich in iron and zinc

Mustard variety

Pusa mustard 32 - low araucic acid content

Peanut varieties

Girnar 4,5 - enhanced oleic acid

Yam varieties

Sri neelima - enhanced zinc, iron , anthocyanin content. 

DA 340 - enhanced zinc, iron , anthocyanin content. 


Thus by using this technique to improve the crops micronutrients  it helps to regulate the nutritional quality in human diet and also to over come malnutrition through sustainable production. The recurrent cost of producing fortified seeds are low so it indirectly increase farm productivity by making plants resist to environmental stress. 



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