GtG: Micronutrient Fortification and Biofortification Solution
The Solution
A problem as widespread as micronutrient deficiency requires more than just one set of solutions or interventions to have an impact. Two solutions are presented here, which can be considered different ways of achieving the same objective:
- Micronutrient Fortification
- Biofortification
Micronutrient fortification means deliberately ensuring there are more essential vitamins and minerals in a food product. It is particularly relevant to the problems of iodine and iron deficiency, because these micronutrients can be cheaply and effectively added to basic food products like flour and salt.
Biofortification means developing nutrient-rich versions of the staple crops that poor communities already eat. It can involve ‘genetic modification’.
Micronutrient fortification and biofortification are both food-based approaches, but the interventions are at very different stages: micronutrient fortification has been used with great success for decades (particularly in fortifying salt with iodine), while very few biofortified crops have been released.