Backed by 20 years of rigorous evidence, biofortification is contributing to a food systems transformation in countries around the world:
- In Pakistan, in the face of climate-related extreme flooding, zinc-enriched wheat demonstrated its resilience, with 5.5 metric tons (MT) produced in 2022, up from 1 MT in 2020.
- In Nigeria, women launched small- and medium-sized biofortification enterprises to improve their livelihoods and extend the reach of nutrient-enriched foods across their communities.
- In India, the first-ever branded and pre-packaged zinc-enriched wheat flour was launched by a large milling company that will bring this nutritious product to families' plates nationwide once scaled.
- In Malawi, Kenya, and Tanzania more than 1.2 million school children are eating vitamin A maize and iron beans in their home grown school meals, an approach that guarantees long-term demand for farmers' produce, supports local economies, and ensures a bright future for all children.
- In Bangladesh, an unprecedented 6,350 MT of zinc rice seed was produced and marketed—enough to generate more than one million MT of rice that can provide up to 40% of daily zinc needs.
Biofortification is one of the many important solutions being implemented by global research partners working together across CGIAR to ensure a food-secure future for all.
HarvestPlus is accelerating towards our goal to positively impact one billion people with biofortification. Partner with us to enrich food systems, and make them more sustainable, resilient, and nutritious.
Catalyzing Nutritious, Resilient Food Systems
In the face of multiple global crises, national governments and partners responded with significant commitments to scale up biofortification.
Across Asia and Africa, where the need is the greatest, biofortified foods were eaten by more people than ever before—200 percent more than five years ago—providing them with the essential vitamin A, iron, and zinc they need to grow and live healthy, productive lives.
The 2022 State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World Report endorsed biofortification as a cost-effective measure to prevent micronutrient deficiencies and a declaration by the African Union to scale up food fortification and biofortification put nutritious diets at the forefront of regional policy.
Bringing Nutrient-Enriched Foods to Markets
HarvestPlus and our partners are stimulating local and national markets to include biofortified crops and boosting opportunities for smallholders to become commercial vendors. These efforts help extend access to naturally nutritious staples foods to consumers beyond the farm gate.
A range of market and commercial activities delivered by HarvestPlus support public procurement supply chains and activate nutritious seed, grain, and food businesses that can transform food systems.
Cultivating Smallholder Farmers’ Livelihoods
Smallholder farmers are being empowered to turn their farms into profitable businesses as a pathway out of poverty and hidden hunger. Training and technical support delivered by HarvestPlus and our partners develop farmers’ agronomic and business capacities, create employment opportunities, build linkages to lucrative markets, and add value to food systems.
Nearly 32 million value chain actors (12 million of which were women) enhanced their ability to grow and sell nutritious foods in 2022.
Coping with Climate Change
Biofortified crop breeding prioritizes traits that help offset climate-induced declines in agricultural productivity and nutrition, including greater tolerance to heat, drought, and pests, and competitive yield production under local climate conditions.
Initiatives enhance the climate resilience of agri-enterprises and smallholder farmers, providing them with access to and training on nutrient-enriched crop technologies and practices.
Responding to Shocks
HarvestPlus and our partners worked tirelessly in 2022 to meet the nutrition needs of the most vulnerable communities. Our programs responded to increased food and nutrition insecurity brought about by the devastating effects of COVID-19, climate change, rising cost of living, and conflict.
Innovations improved the affordability of nutrient-enriched foods, biofortification was integrated into multi-sectoral pro-poor nutrition interventions, and refugees were empowered with the means to grow nutritious foods.
Enriching School Meals
Home grown nutrient-enriched foods are being sustainably integrated into school feeding programs across multiple countries, adding more essential nutrients into the daily diets of children.
Nutritious school meals are an investment in human capital development. They address childhood malnutrition, improve students’ academic performance, boost attendance—especially among girls—and provide a safety net that keeps communities fed amid shocks.