Biofortification:Eradicating and Alleviating Hidden Hunger for Food

It is a notion that sustainable agriculture is the ischolar_main of solutions for eradication of malnutrition for long run. In these contemporary years, several strategies are taken up for reduction or elimination of this hidden hunger. The resolution initiated for this crucial subject involves number of measures which include dietary diversification, supplementation, and industrial fortification of food products and most importantly biofortification. Though all of the above strategies have been successful in some parts of the world but it requires continuous investment and extensive infrastructure for limiting their effectiveness in reaching the most vulnerable groups. Out of all strategies, biofortification is considered as a lead agricultural approach focused to target micronutrient malnutrition worldwide. Once implemented, biofortification will lower the number of micronutrient deficient people which requires more costly interventions dependent on supplementation and fortification programmes. Although micronutrients are required in very trace amount but the magnitude of micronutrient under nutrition is immense. It has been observed that nearly 2 billion people suffer from various health disorders due to) iron) deficiency, inadequate zinc intakes and high deficiency of Vitamin A. Unlike the cases with insufficient energy intakes, micronutrient malnutrition has no such manifestation except in extreme cases and for this very reason; it is termed as “hidden hunger”.