Intake of biofortified zinc rice for health, growth, and development

Micronutrients are required for our body in minimal amounts but play a major role for human health, growth, and development. They also keep our body active and functional. All vitamins and minerals are known as micronutrients and, they are available in our food items.

Micronutrient deficiencies affect over two billion people worldwide and are especially prevalent in developing countries. Such deficiencies increase morbidity and mortality rate across the lifespan and can impair physical growth and cognitive development. Every year, Bangladesh loses over $700 million in GDP to mineral and vitamin deficiencies (Bangladesh: Nutrition at a Glance, World Bank).

In Bangladesh, micronutrient deficiencies are endemic and affect all age groups, and multiple deficiencies are common especially among the children and women. They are suffering from the highest rates of micronutrient deficiencies, particularly from vitamin A, iron, iodine, and zinc.

Micronutrient malnutrition has long-ranging effects on health, learning ability and productivity, which in turn have high social and public cost. For example, zinc deficiency increases the risk of

Diarrhea in young children by 33%,

Pneumonia by 69%, and

Malaria by 56% percent (Caufield et al. Zinc deficiency. Comparative Quantity of Health Risks. WHO 2004, 256-279.)

The National Micronutrients Status Survey (NMSS) 2011-2012, for the first time in Bangladesh, provided nationally representative data on zinc status in selected populations. The national prevalence of zinc deficiency was 44.6% in preschool children (Pre-SAC) and 57.3% in non-pregnant and non-lactating (NPNL) women. The prevalence rate of zince deficiency in slums was 66.4%.  However, the preliminary report of NMSS  2019-20 in Bangladesh reveals that zinc deficiencies among Pre-SAC and NPNL women are 32.5% and 45.5%, respectively.

Zinc deficiency is a public concern. Time has come to focus on zinc as an essential and important micronutrient. Zinc is essential for :

Strong and robust immune system

Optimal blood sugar balance

Healthy metabolism

Protein synthesis

Growth and development

Wound healing

Hormone health

Better sleep

Improving mood

Antioxidant

Zinc is not stored in the body. So, it is important to regularly consume food that is rich in zinc. Rice, being the staple food, is the principal source of protein and minerals in the diet of Bangladeshi people. The people of Bangladesh consume almost 70% of their diet as rice. With the development of technology and considering the preference of the consumers, rice is being processed in the rice mills using modern technology and making rice highly glazed by removing the outer layer i.e., bran, even some portion of endosperm i.e., starch. As a result, highly polished rice varieties lose almost all nutritional values such as vitamins and minerals. On the other hand, poor people cannot afford to buy fish, meat, milk, fruits and vegetable which are the other major sources of micronutrients. Hene, they suffer from micronutrient deficiencies.       Improving nutrition status can have a significant impact on survival as well as physical and cognitive growth and productivity. Good nutrition, comprising adequate quality and quantity of food intake and reduction of illness, is also a basic human right and an essential input for economic development.

To address the micronutrient deficiencies of the people, the GoB has developed different policies and strategies for the inclusion of food fortification including biofortification. The relevant policies and strategy documents are:

National Strategy on Prevention and Control of Micronutrient Deficiencies, Bangladesh 2015-2024.

Second National Plan of Action for Nutrition 2016-2025.

Bangladesh Second Country Investment Plan 2016-2020.

National Food and Nutrition Security Policy of Bangladesh 2020.

8th Five Year Plan 2020-2025.

The above-mentioned policies and strategies suggest the following three options:

1. Ensure balance and nutritious diet through crop diversification which involves huge cost.

2. Food fortification with synthetic vitamins and minerals which also increases cost.

3. Biofortification is the appropriate option for the poor people of the country to tackle zinc deficiencies without added cost.

Biofortified Zinc paddy is successfully made following field trial and lessons learned with active support from HarvestPlus. HarvestPlus joined hands with Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) and others to promote cultivation and consumption of biofortified zinc rice through commercialization of biofortified crops (CBC) project. Till now, as many as 11 varieties of BZR have been developed by BRRI, BINA and BSMRAU.

Zinc content in the rice and yield for BRRI dhan74, BRRI dhan84 and Bangabandhu dhan100 are 24.2 mg per kg, 7.1 MT/ha; 27.6 mg per kg, 6.5 MT/ha; and 25.7 mg per kg, 7.7 MT/ha respectively. Yield of biofortified zinc rice and some of the common varieties shown above in bar diagram.

BRRI dhan74 is a coarse variety and price wise it matches with the government declared procurement price. Ministry of Food has already included, from the current Boro procurement season 2021-2022, procurement of biofortified zinc paddy (BRRI dhan74) and its rice through internal procurement policy from five districts, and these are: i) Bhola, ii) Barisal, iii) Thakurgaon, iv) Gaibandha, and v) Rangpur where concentration of production of BRRI dhan74 is accessible.

Challenges:

Due to lack of awareness among farmers, consumers and value chain actors BRRI dhan74 is often mixed up with other coarse varieties of paddy during marketing.

Currenly, no segregated supply chain exists to support processing and distribution of BRRI dhan74.

Adequate amount of biofortified paddy is not available in the market.

Way forward:

Farmers should be encouraged to cultivate biofortified BRRI dhan74 extensively so that the government can buy zinc biofortified rice through the internal procurement system and can maintain it separately for distribution among the targeted groups.

Demand should be created through organising awareness programmes so that consumers become aware of the benefits of zinc rice and millers adopt a segregated supply chain for biofortified zinc paddy/rice.

The line ministries should create demand for biofortified rice in the safety net programmes such as school feeding programme, VGD, etc.

DAE should identify two/three varieties of biofortified zinc rice taking into consideration the agronomic competitiveness so that farmers are benefitted as well as the micronutrient need of the poor people, those who cannot afford to consume costly food that are rich in zinc micronutrient, is fulfilled.

Conclusion:

Zinc is one of the few micronutrients that are present in all our body tissues. It is crucial to ensure that we get zinc in our diet, and biofortified zinc rice is the appropriate option without any added costs in that regard.

A.K.M. Nurul Afsar is former Director General of Food & Advisor, CBC project GAIN/GORAI