HarvestPlus China workshop – 2013 Shenzen- China

Biofortification in Latin America/Brazil & Capacity Building and Laboratory Activities

within African Countries

November 17th, 2013

Marilia Regini NuttiJose Luiz Viana de Carvalho

Harvest Plus Coordinator Latin America and Caribbean, Coordinator of Brazilian Biofortification Network-BioFORT.

Brazilian Agriculture Research Corporation - EMBRAPA Brazil.

BIOFORTICATION

:

• Can breeding add the target increment to achieve the micronutrient density in food staples that nutritionists have determined will make a measurable and significant impact on nutritional status? Positive results from various crop/micronutrient combinations (we have reached full target levels for beans and sweet potato in Africa).

• When consumed under controlled conditions, will the extra nutrients bred into the food staples be bioavailable and absorbed at sufficient levels to improve micronutrient status? Efficacy studies for beans, sweet potato and maize are positive.

• Will farmers adopt the biofortified varieties and will consumers buy/eat them in sufficient quantities? From Uganda and Mozambique for orange sweet potato - we have positive results.

For biofortification to be successful, three broad questions must be addressed

We are, however still learning/working on the crop/micronutrient/country combinations and we still have a lot of work to do for LAC.

The food basket approach for LAC

• Some food basket elements:– Beans as a source of Fe in the diet; – Rice as source of Zn in the diet; – Cassava as source of pro-vitamin A;– Maize as a possibility for pro-vitamin A and / or

Zn; and– Sweet potato as source of pro-vitamin A.

• We want these crops to be biofortified to become a source of these micronutrients.

The food basket approach for LAC

• In LAC several people are reached via supplementation and fortification;

• We want to reach rural poor with biofortified versions of these crops, since rural poor may not have access to supplements and fortified food;

• Processed products made of these crops that could claim that they are source of Fe, Zn or pro-Vitamin A, according to the nutrition labeling guidelines of the target countries.

• Promoting a diet that includes the combination of these biofortified crops on the same plate (eg. rice with maize and beans). This approach implies that the consumption of micronutrients does not rely on a single crop but a basket of crops.

ZINC

Pro- Vitamin A Zinc Iron

Nutrients

Expected results

• Rural and urban

• Market

Expected results

Experiences so far

Country Crop Variety Content (ppm) H+ 50% target (ppm)

Fe Zn Fe Zn

El Salvador Beans CENTA FERROMÁS

75-80 35 72 40

Panamá Rice IDIAP GAB

3.5-4.1 13.2-15.5 7.5 20

Panamá Beans NUA 83-93 32-33 72 40

Nicaragua Rice INTA Nutritivo

80 37 72 40

Guatemala Beans ICTA Petén

76 ? 72 40

Bolivia Beans Fortaleza 83-90 40 72 40

Biofortification in Brazil

Can breeding add the target increment to achieve the micronutrient density in food staples that nutritionists have determined will make a measurable and significant impact on nutritional status?

• Pumpkin • Rice • Beans • Cowpea - beans• Cassava• Maize• Sweet-potato• Wheat

Cultivars released and recommended

• Beans – 3 cultivars• Cowpea – 3 cultivars• Cassava – 3 cultivars• Sweet-potato – 1 cultivar • Maize – 1 cultivar (2013)

• 11 cultivars launched.

When consumed under controlled conditions, will the extra nutrients bred into the food staples be bioavailable and absorbed at sufficient levels to improve micronutrient status ?

• Compositional analysis for all crops released, in order to prepare technical and label information.

• Retention studies in rice, common and cowpea beans , to evaluate the and Zn losses .( UFRJ)

• Retention studies in cassava, maize, pumpkin, sweet potato and bakery and pasta products, to evaluate Pro-Vit A losses (UFRJ, CNPMS , UFL)

• Bioacessibility for Pro-VitA cassava and sweet potato (UFRJ/ UFRRJ).

• Minerals bioacessibility/ biovialibility for wheat, rice and beans. ( ESALQ - USP).

• Packing material selection for prevention Pro-Vit A losses . (CETEA/ITAL)

• Bioavailability in vivo for Fe and protein in beans. (UFV).

• Acceptability and Bioavailability for Fe in beans with school children. (UFES ).

• Dietary Assessment: habits food consumption and acceptability . (UFS)

• Nutrition Impact Assessment of pre-sch0oll children at biofortified food diet, school feeding program (2014- 2015 ) - (UFS, USP, UNiFESP) hemoglobin ferritin, PCR, serum retinol, plasmatic zinc and erythrocytes.

Will farmers adopt the biofortified varieties and will consumers buy/eat them in sufficient quantities?

• Seed and stem multiplication. • Field days and Demonstrative Units.• Strategic Alliances. • Communication strategy.• Governmental programs. • Impact Assessment

Results (2009-2013)

MARANHÃO:

18 Demonstrative Units120 Families Covered

PIAUÍ:

37 Demonstrative Units900 Families Covered

SERGIPE:

2 Demonstrative Units200 Families Covered

MINAS GERAIS:28 Demonstrative Units700 Families Covered

RIO DE JANEIRO

2 Demonstrative Units16 Families Covered

(300 Children Covered )

TOTAL

Demonstrative Units: 87Families Covered: 1936

Results (2009-2013)

Website:www.biofort.com.br

Facebook Page:fb.com/RedeBioFORT

First Embrapa Project which developed a website with Blog, Facebook and Twitter, in order to interact with the social networks

Plans for the future in LAC

• Country priority setting using a Biofortification Priority Index (BPI) developed by HarvestPlus team.

• Souce: HarvestPlus planning meeting between HarvestPlus breeders, nutritionists, economists etc. at CIAT (Cali, Colombia, Feb 25 – 28, 2013)

Conditions for H+ priority country

Country must:1. Produce the crop - a significant proportion of

production must be used for domestic consumption

2. Consume much of the crop on a per-capita basis3. Have a high level of micronutrient deficiency

(vitamin A, Iron or zinc) Saltzman et al. (2013)

Potential country/crop/micronutrient combinations for investment

Countries Rice(zinc)

Beans(zinc-iron)

Maize(zinc)

Maize (Vit A)

Cassava (Vit A)

SweetPot (Vit

A)

1. Nicaragua (1)

x x x

2. Guatemala – Mex. (South) (1)

`x x

3. Honduras >more inform

x

4. Bolivia ?? x x x??

Countries that requested technical assistance in all topics

Countries Rice(zinc)

Beans(zinc-iron)

Maize(zinc)

Maize (Vit A)

Cassava (Vit A)

Sweet Pot (Vit

A)A . Panama X

(Rural)X

(indigenous)

x X(indigen.)

B. Colombia X (North Coast)

X (North Coast)

x x x

Haiti

• Considering the country’s situation, a special project is needed for Haiti.

Countries Rice(zinc)

Beans(zinc-iron)

Maize(zinc)

Maize (Vit A)

Cassava (Vit A)

Sweet Pot (Vit

A)Haiti x x x x x x

Indirect benefiting countries

• Some potential countries that are not targets (low BPI), but could be beneficiaries of the HarvestPlus technologies (spillovers).

Countries Rice(zinc)

Beans(zinc-iron)

Maize

(zinc)

Maize (Vit A)

Cassava (Vit A)

Sweet Pot (Vit

A)El Salvador x

Peru (Amazonia)

X

The breeding targets

These are the tentative, plausible breeding target

increments agreed upon during the workshop:

• Fe Bean: + 44 ppm• Fe Rice: + 6 ppm (considered insufficient given the revised zinc

physiologic requirements and low rice consumption figures in most countries in the region)

• Zn Bean: + 17 ppm • Zn Rice: + 12 ppm • Zn Maize = to be calculated

• pVAC Maize: +15 ppm • pVAC Cassava: +15 ppm • pVAC OFSP: +75 ppm

Results for LAC in 2013

• Launching of the AgroNutre Panama, the biofortification program for the country, with the attendence of MOA, MH, FAO, WHO, WFP and First Lady cabinet. Biofortication is a country policy for food and nutrional security.

• Crops: rice, beans, maize and sweet potato. Expect to work with cassava and pumpkin.

Results for LAC in 2013

Workshop in Guatemala, October 2013, in order to elaborate the work plans for 2014.

50 participants from International organizations, goverment and civil society. Opened by Minister of Agricultura, Livestock and Food, Elmer Lopes, biofortification pilot project for “ zero hunger” will start with maize and beans.

Results for LAC in 2013

16 -18 September was held the Workshop on "Processing and Food Product Development using Biofortified Crops", organized by the Corporation CLAYUCA, CIAT and Agrosalud Project and HarvestPlus Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), in which 16 technicians and professionals from Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Jamaica, Spain and Angola were trained.Workshop in Nicaragua, 26-28

November 2013, in order to elaborate the work plans for 2014 with the participation of International organizations, goverment and civil society.

5 takeover messages

1) Biofortification is a promising strategy for combatting micronutrient deficiency in LAC, especially in rural areas;

2) We have been functioning in LAC for a while, with success in breeding, in raising awareness and building partnerships in research, public and private fora;

3) In phase III of H+ (2014-2018) we want to increase our work in LAC;

4) Due to the diverse diets in LAC we are advocating "food basket" approach - we want to biofortify all the staples people consume; and

5) Efforts in Brazil and Panama are funded by the national governments, other LAC countries are funded by H+.

Capacity Building and Laboratory Activities within African Countries

• Laboratory for Carotenoid Analysis – DR Congo• HarvestPlus Carotenoid Proficiency Test• Compositional Analysis for HarvestPlus Crops

Capacity Building and Lab. Implementation in DR Congo

Follow up actions for H+ program to strengthen NARES in Africa•Training in Total carotenoids for screening in cassava in DR Congo, for INERA (National Institute for the Studies and Agronomical Research) staff at M`vuazi Station.•Diagnosis visit done in 2009, with evaluation based on ISO/IEC 17025:2005. General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories.

Capacity Building and Lab. Implementation in DR Congo

Activities performed from 2010-13•Translate the Carotenoids H+ Handbook into French (HARVESTPLUS HANDBOOK POUR L'ANALYSE DES CAROTENOÏDES). •List of the equipments and supplies needed and facilities upgrade proposal done and purchases realized.•Now, waiting for ultimate laboratory repairs, new visit proposed 02/2014 in order to have the training before July/2014.

Maize Carotenoids Analysis Proficiency Test

• To verify the proficiency in African Labs for Carotenoids Analysis

• Preparation, production and shipping of the samples and standards to participants – July to October 2014.

• 12 laboratories were invited and 9 agreed to participate.

Maize Carotenoids Analysis Proficiency Test

• Participating Countries: Zambia (2 Labs), Nigeria, Brazil, Peru The Nederlands, USA, Colombia, Mexico.

• Results from labs expected by late November, final report by February 2014, according to ISO/IEC 17043:2010. Conformity assessment – General requirements for proficiency testing

Compositional Analysis for HarvestPlus Crops launched in Africa.

• Quality assessment and nutrient composition of beans, sweetpotato, maize and cassava .

• Protein • Lipids • Carbohidrates • Dietary Fiber• Carotenoids profile• Fe and Zn • Mycotoxins in maize • Fatty acids profile in maize

Compositional Analysis for HarvestPlus Crops launched in Africa.

• Up to now, analysis for sweetpotato being performed, maize waiting for customs release.

The results presented here are a consequence of a team work strategy which integrated more than 250 people in different regions of Brazil, LAC and H+ target countries in Africa, working tightly in order to reach the HarvestPlus , AgroSalud and BioFORT expected deliverables.We wish to express our gratitude to Embrapa, the HarvestPlus, the AgroSalud, BioFORT Biofortification programs for all the support without which this work could not be carried out. Xei Xei ………………………..Thank you ..................... Obrigado!

marilia.nutti@embrapa.br or m.nutti@cgiar.orgr jose.viana@embrapa.br or j.l.viana@cigar.org Jose.viana@embrapa.br jose.viana@embrapa.br