Effectiveness of Agronomic Biofortification Strategy in Fighting against Hidden Hunger

Abstract

Micronutrient deficiencies (MNDs), also known as hidden hunger, affect more than a quarter of the global population. Agronomic biofortification helps to increase the concentration of a target mineral in food crops and improve human mineral dietary intake. It is a means of providing nutrient-dense foods to a larger population, especially among rural resource-poor settings, providing that they have access to mineral fertilizers. However, the feasibility of agronomic biofortification in combating hidden hunger depends on several factors in addition to fertilizer access, including crop type, genotype, climate, soils, and soil mineral interactions. Consideration of its effectiveness in increasing human mineral intake to the daily requirements and the improvement of human health and the cost-effectiveness of the program is also important. In this paper, we review the available literature regarding the potential effectiveness and challenges of agronomic biofortification to improve crop micronutrient concentrations and reduce hidden hunger.

Intercropping Systems to Modify Bioactive Compounds and Nutrient Profiles in Plants: Do We Have Enough Information to Take This as a Strategy to Improve Food Quality? A Review

“…This was the first time that emphasis was placed on the importance of nutrient quality contained in foods for human consumption, considered crucial to the dimension of utilization [ 27 ]. However, it is also known that the nutritional quality of foods produced in intensive systems has decreased, causing a deficiency in the micronutrients available to the population [ 31 ]. Evidently, the “utilization” dimension is not fulfilled by current food production systems.…”

“…Nevertheless, the need to produce more food grows each year and has been the motive for the deployment of intensive monoculture systems around the world. At present, there are growing concerns about not only the quantity of food these systems produce, but also the nutritional quality of that food [ 31 ]. The indiscriminate use of monoculture has caused a significant deficit of micronutrients in the edible parts of food crops, which means that the population cannot be adequately nourished even by consuming unprocessed foods, nor can they avoid chronic degenerative diseases.…”

“…The indiscriminate use of monoculture has caused a significant deficit of micronutrients in the edible parts of food crops, which means that the population cannot be adequately nourished even by consuming unprocessed foods, nor can they avoid chronic degenerative diseases. This may ultimately result in a phenomenon known as hidden hunger [ 31 ], defined as a dietary deficit in the intake of vitamins and minerals, such that the food consumed is inadequate for optimal human health. In recent years, there has been a troubling increase in the prevalence of disease and illness in lower-income countries.…”

Intercropping Systems to Modify Bioactive Compounds and Nutrient Profiles in Plants, Do We Have Enough Information to Take It as a Strategy to Improve Food Quality? A Review

“…It was the first time that emphasis was placed on the importance of nutrient quality contained in foods for human consumption, giving it a place to dimension Utilization [26]. Moreover, it is known that the nutritional quality of foods from intensive food production systems has decreased, causing a deficiency of micronutrients in the population [30], so this dimension of food security cannot be accomplished.…”

“…Intensive monoculture systems were implemented with this objective globally; nonetheless, currently, there is not only a concern about the quantity of food that is produced but also about the nutritional quality of that food [30]. The indiscriminate use of these systems has caused the contents in the edible parts of food crops to have a significant deficit of micronutrients, which means that correct nutrition of the population cannot be guaranteed through the consumption of unprocessed foods or the prevention of chronic degenerative diseases; moreover, this problem could cause what is known as hidden hunger [30]. This is defined as a dietary deficit in the intake of vitamins and minerals; therefore, it is inadequate for optimal human health.…”