Staple Crops Biofortification Linking Agriculture, Food and Nutrition towards Eliminating Hidden Hunger
Vumilia Lwoga Zikankuba *
Tanzania National Food Reserve Agency (NFRA), P.O.Box 1050, Dodoma, Tanzania.
Denis Mteremko
The Open University of Tanzania, P.O.Box 1954, Bukoba-Kagera, Tanzania.
Armachius James
Tanzania Agricultural Research Institute (TARI)-Makutupora, P.O.Box 1676, Dodoma, Tanzania.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Agriculture is the mainstay of most of people globally. Despite the fact that agriculture has been a traditionally food and nutrition source, people go to bed without food and suffer from malnutrition even within the same households. Similarly, hunger and hidden hunger remains a worldwide widespread challenge. In response, researchers have tried to enhance micronutrients through staple food crops biofortification. The promotion of biofortified crops and unintended narrowed food choices might have been the underlying factor for the coexisting forms of malnutrition: undernutrition, obesity and increased incidence of non-communicable diseases; a malnutrition double burden problem. Therefore, this paper provides views to rethinking critically in order to take steps towards integrating nutrition education in modern agriculture crop biofortification programs more effectively.
Keywords: Agriculture, biofortification, food security, hidden hunger, minerals, nutrition, vitamins