Perspectives On Enhancing the Nutritional Quality of Food Crops with Trace Elements.

Malnutrition accounts for over 20 million deaths a year being the leading cause of death globally from both diet-related chronic diseases and overt nutrient deficiencies.  Malnutrition results from many complex factors that are based in dysfunctional food systems dependent on agricultural systems that have never had an explicit goal of improving human health.  These deaths are preventable.  Linking agricultural systems to human health could provide sustainable solutions to malnutrition because it addresses the root causes of malnutrition.  Various agricultural tools can be used to improve the health and well-being of those afflicted. 

Biofortification (breeding staple food crops that fortify themselves with micronutrients) is one agricultural tool currently being employed to address micronutrient malnutrition among resource-poor families in the Global South.  Fertilizers (agronomic biofortification) provide another tool that has been used successfully to address selenium, iodine and zinc deficiencies in several nations.  There are numerous other “off the shelf” agricultural means that could be employed to improve the nutrient output of farming systems.  These include: designing cropping systems to maximize nutrient output, using agronomic practices to improve the nutritional and health promoting quality of food crops, re-diversifying cropping systems, and genetically modifying crops to be more nutritious and healthy.  This can only be accomplished if explicit links are made between the agriculture, nutrition and health communities.  Additionally, government policies should be changed to reflect the important roles that agriculture plays in the health of all people.  We need to closely link agriculture to human health and well-being if we want to find sustainable solutions to malnutrition globally.