Agronomic Biofortification of Millets: New Way to Alleviate Malnutrition

Abstract

Biofortification or biological fortification refers to nutritionally enhanced food crops with increased bioavailability to the human population that are developed and grown using modern bio-technology techniques, conventional plant breeding, and agronomic practices. Our agricultural system has not been designed to promote human health; instead, it only focuses on increasing grain yield and crop productivity. This approach has resulted in a rapid rise in micronutrient deficiency in food grains, thereby increasing micronutrient malnutrition among consumers. Biofortification is a one-time investment and offers a cost-effective, long-term, and sustainable approach in fighting hidden hunger because once the biofortified crops are developed, there are no costs of buying the fortificants and adding them to the food supply during processing. Agronomic biofortification methods requires physical application of nutrients to temporarily improve the nutritional and health status of crops and consumption of such crops improves the human nutritional status. Soil and plant are managed by agronomic interventions. For the biofortification initiative to be successful, farmers use micronutrient fertilizers to fortified cultivars must get marketing support. Besides challenges the biofortification of millets have a promising future in combating the problem of malnutrition.