Biofortified Food Crops for Developing Countries

More than two billion people, mostly from developing countries, are estimated to be deficient in key vitamins and minerals, like vitamin A, iron, iodine and zinc. There are several ways to address this problem, but recent studies have shown the advantage of a particular approach: biofortification. This approach, however, is not without opposition.

Numerous technologies are available and currently being applied to improve the nutritional contents of food crops. Using tissue culture methods, mutation and marker assisted breeding and genetic engineering, biofortified crops like the golden rice, high-protein maize and vitamin-containing sweet potato have been developed. These products, which have been shown safe for consumption and the environment, are now awaiting regulatory approval for cultivation. Yet many countries remain doubtful in adopting these biofortified crops. A series of papers published by the Journal of Agrobiotechnology Management and Economics examine the progress and prospects of biofortified foods in developing countries.

Political and socioeconomic factors that hinder the adoption of biotech crops in countries like China, India, the Philippines, Mali and Burkina Faso, were discussed by experts from different fields. Case studies, like that of the golden rice in Asia, are also highlighted. Links to the journal articles are available at http://www.agbioforum.org/