Integrating biofortified crops into community development programs

Abstract

Extensive research has demonstrated the effectiveness and acceptability of biofortification. There is now a need to establish effective, sustainable delivery systems for biofortified crops in countries with a high burden of micronutrient malnutrition. This requires country-level partnerships between national governments, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), the private sector and research institutions. World Vision (WV) is an international NGO with experience integrating biofortified crops as an agriculture-for-nutrition intervention within rural development projects, most extensively in Mozambique, Burundi, and Uganda. In WV’s experience, successful integration and uptake of biofortified crops within broader community development programs is reliant on key elements of both the enabling environment and the program design. The optimal mix and intensity of interventions is not yet known; implementation science research is needed to enhance understanding of the critical elements of successful adoption, intensification, scale-up and sustainability of biofortified crops, and the human, technical and financial resources required to achieve this and to contribute to the sustainable reduction of micronutrient malnutrition.

Keywords: nutrition, agriculture, biofortification, integration, multi-sectoral, nutrition-sensitive, nutrition policy, micronutrients, diet diversification