Bio-fortified maize for improved nutrition and health

Poor people often survive on high intakes of inexpensive cereals, a dietary imbalance that can often result in malnutrition. It is estimated that over 3 billion people suffer from protein, iron, or vitamin A malnutrition.

Pregnant and breast-feeding women and young children are most affected.

Iron deficiency is widespread, the WHO ranked zinc deficiency as the fifth-leading health risk factor in developing countries. Diversified diets are desirable, but vegetables, legumes, and meat are often too costly for many of the poor. Maize provides opportunities for increasing the intake of essential amino-acids, pro-vitamins A, and potentially iron and zinc.

Quality protein maize (QPM) has 60-100% more lysine and tryptophan than normal maize, and thus has nearly equal biological value to that of milk. CIMMYT is working with consortia of partners in Africa, Asia, and Latin America to develop and deliver stress-tolerant, agronomically-competitive QPM for use as food or feed, and to identify sustainable delivery chains that ensure impacts on human malnutrition and income generation. CIMMYT and partners have also made excellent progress in breeding for improved zinc uptake and content in wheat, and will build on and extend relevant advances and products, as well as enhancing iron content in the grain.

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