Empowering Nutrition: Biofortification to Combat Hidden Hunger
摘要
Global hidden hunger poses a significant challenge, impacting the health and overall well-being of individuals due to a deficiency in essential micronutrients. Despite advancements in food production, millions of people continue to face difficulties in accessing essential nutrients. Micronutrient deficiencies contribute to various health issues, including weakened bones and teeth, deteriorating eyesight, delayed brain development, stillbirths, anemia, etc. These deficiencies, impacting around one-third of the global population, result in mild to severe health effects, further troubling a chronically burdened health system. Micronutrient supplementation has garnered attention, particularly amid the COVID-19 pandemic, given its potential to bolster immune function and overall health. Deficiencies of essential elements like zinc (Zn), iron (Fe), iodine (I), and vitamins are substantial global concerns related to food. Biofortification emerges as a cost-effective and sustainable resolution by enhancing the levels of essential minerals and vitamins in staple crops. This enrichment process focuses on raising the amount of bioavailable nutrients in the edible portion of food, aiming to provide nutrient-rich food to impoverished rural communities who do not have access to a variety of dietary options, supplements, or commercially fortified goods. With meticulous planning, execution, and implementation, biofortified food crops possess the capability to enhance the health and lives of underserved individuals. The second sustainable development goal (SDG-2), which objects towards achieving agricultural sustainability and global food security, seeks prompt and integrated action from both developed and developing nations. This chapter presents a comprehensive overview of biofortification, focusing on its implications to address hidden hunger and its contribution to broader sustainability goals.