Biofortification in Staple Foods Still Relevant

Despite urbanization and income growth associated with globalization, diets of the rural poor will continue to be heavily based on staple foods like cereals and tuber crops. The richer and more urban populations will increase their intake of higher-value proteins, oils, fruits and vegetables. These were the findings of economists from the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). Hence, while the rich will be able to afford foods that contain important micronutrients like zinc, iron and vitamin A, the poor will not be as fortunate.

In Integrated Economic Modeling of Global and Regional Micronutrient Security, the economists use a global agricultural market model to simulate demands for food and micronutrients into the future. They suggested that biofortification will remain relevant and should be targeted particularly on cereal grains in South Asia, and roots and tubers in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Check out http://www.ifpri.org/blog/food-future to download the paper.