Zinc-fortified wheat to combat global malnutrition
Scientists at a leading global grains research institute expect to sharply ramp up new wheat varieties enriched with zinc that can boost the essential mineral for millions of poor people with deficient diets, the institute’s head said.
Martin Kropff, director general of the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre (CIMMYT), said he expected the newly-developed high-zinc wheat to make up at least 80% of varieties distributed worldwide over the next 10 years, up from about 9% currently.
The Mexico-based institute’s research focuses on boosting yields, and livelihoods, of the world’s poorest farmers while also addressing challenges posed by climate change such as higher temperatures, less rainfall and mutating plant diseases. The improved varieties of so-called biofortified wheat are being rolled out with the help of seed company partners in countries including India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Mexico and Bolivia.
Over the next decade, Kropff expected nearly all newly deployed wheat varieties to be nutritionally improved, noting that the high-zinc varieties were developed using traditional breeding techniques instead of research based on genetically modified organisms.
The dramatic expansion of the new wheat varieties holds the promise of improving diets that lack essential minerals like zinc and iron.
Zinc deficiency is one of the main causes of malnutrition globally,