Britain backs super-crops revolution that may save a billion from malnutrition

BRITAIN is helping to breed a new generation of “super-crops” that are not only resistant to climate change, pests and disease but also fortified with vitamins and minerals.

The initiative could save the lives of hundreds of thousands of children who die each year from poor nutrition in developing countries, as well as supplementing diets in the West.

The Department for International Development (Dfid) has put more than £100 million into breeding the new generation of super-crops which now stand poised to create what experts are calling a “second green revolution”.

The crops include iron-rich beans that could withstand a 7F (4C) jump in global temperature, “scuba” rice that can survive two weeks underwater in flooded fields and drought-tolerant maize rich in vitamin A.

They have been created through traditional breeding techniques rather than being genetically modified, which means they can be planted without waiting for regulatory approval.

“The first green revolution reached at least one billion people. If we can reach our target of one billion, then potentially it is the next biggest thing,” said Howarth Bouis, a US economist whose organisation Harvestplus has received £87.4 million from Dfid to breed and distribute crop varieties fortified with vitamin A, iron and zinc.

About 30million people have so far benefited from the crops, primarily in Africa, but the aim is to reach one billion by 2030. A further six million farmers in Asia are using scuba rice, but the aim is 18 million by 2028.

Worldwide, an estimated two billion people suffer from “hidden hunger”, or micronutrient malnutrition.

The first green revolution in the mid-20th century won its instigator Norman Borlaug the 1970 Nobel Peace Prize and spawned disease-resistant, high-yielding wheat strains credited with saving 250million lives. The new super-crops not only have higher yields, but cross-breeding aims to incorporate genes that protect from disease, pests, floods, drought and heat.

“Our centres are developing climate adaptive crops. Farmers like them not only because they are climate tolerant but also high-yielding”, said Bouis.

For the “heat-beater” beans, scientists in Colombia trawled a gene bank of 36,000 bean samples to find one capable of withstanding the temperature rises expected over the next century.

“Even if they can only handle a 3C (5.4F) rise, that would limit the land lost to climate change to about 5 per cent,” said Steve Beebe, of the International Centre for Tropical Agriculture.

Prof Martin Broadley, a research fellow with Dfid, said the genesis of the super-crop programme came from research showing how costly it was to deliver supplements or fortified processed foods like bread to rural areas.

“Upfront investment in breeding iron, vitamin A and zinc-dense crops is the most cost-effective way to improve nutrition,” he said.