Agronomic Biofortification of Millets: New Way to Alleviate Malnutrition

*Sreenivasareddy Kadapa, Alekhya Gunturi, Rajareddy Gundreddy, Srikanth Reddy Kalwala and Uday Bhaskar Mogallapu*

## **Abstract**

Biofortification or biological fortification refers to nutritionally enhanced food crops with increased bioavailability to the human population that are developed and grown using modern bio-technology techniques, conventional plant breeding, and agronomic practices. Our agricultural system has not been designed to promote human health; instead, it only focuses on increasing grain yield and crop productivity. This approach has resulted in a rapid rise in micronutrient deficiency in food grains, thereby increasing micronutrient malnutrition among consumers. Biofortification is a one-time investment and offers a cost-effective, long-term, and sustainable approach in fighting hidden hunger because once the biofortified crops are developed, there are no costs of buying the fortificants and adding them to the food supply during processing. Agronomic biofortification methods requires physical application of nutrients to temporarily improve the nutritional and health status of crops and consumption of such crops improves the human nutritional status. Soil and plant are managed by agronomic interventions. For the biofortification initiative to be successful, farmers use micronutrient fertilizers to fortified cultivars must get marketing support. Besides challenges the biofortification of millets have a promising future in combating the problem of malnutrition.

**Keywords:** biofortification, malnutrition, agronomic biofortification, fertilization approaches, millets biofortification

### **1. Introduction**

According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, 780 million of the world's estimated 792.5 million malnourished people reside in developing nations [1]. Additionally, despite increasing food crop production, around 2 billion people worldwide experience "hidden hunger," which is brought on by a lack of vital micronutrients in the daily diet [2, 3]. In addition, there is growing concern over nutrition. Until now, the primary goals of our agricultural system have been to boost crop productivity and grain yield, not human health. This strategy has caused a sharp increase in the lack of some micronutrients in dietary grains, which has increased micronutrient malnutrition among consumers. Agriculture is currently transitioning from producing more food crops in greater quantities to generating enough nutrientrich crops. This will aid in the battle against "hidden hunger" or "micronutrient malnutrition," particularly in underdeveloped and poorer nations whose diets are predominately composed of micronutrient-poor staple foods [4]. Since the green revolution, there has been a huge rise in the production of food crops. But the nutrient content of crops could not keep up with the growing demand from the population. Malnutrition problems have become worse as a result of a lack of a balanced diet, especially in developing countries.

Following the adoption of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and then the Sustainable Development Goals, malnutrition—the monster of hidden hunger has already attained the status of being of the utmost significance (SDGs). Every region of the world is affected by the issue of malnutrition. There are 2 billion or so malnourished individuals in the world, according to reports [5]. In this world, over 850 million of people are affected negatively by undernourishment [6]. In low-income nations like Africa, where Ca (54% of the continent's population), Zn (40%), Se (28%), I (19%), and Fe (5%), there is a considerable risk for micronutrient deficiencies [7]. In poor nations, malnutrition mostly affects mothers and small children in many ways. A key strategy for lowering the prevalence of malnutrition worldwide is biofortification of different crop varieties offers a sustainable and long-term solution in providing micronutrients-rich crops to people. The terms "biofortification" and "biological fortification" refers to nutrient-enhanced food crops that are produced and grown utilizing contemporary bio-technology approaches, traditional plant breeding, and agronomic practices. Furthermore, biofortified crops with increased bioavailable concentrations of essential micronutrients are deployed to consumers through traditional practices used by agriculture and food trade which therefore provides a feasible way of reaching undernourished and low income group families with limited access to diverse diets, supplements, and fortified foods. These crops also have greater bioavailability to the human population [8]. Biofortification is an upcoming, promising, cost-effective, and sustainable technique of delivering micronutrients to a population that has limited access to diverse diets and other micronutrient interventions. Agronomic biofortification, the practice of increasing the micronutrient content of food crops through agronomic techniques. We can quickly, safely, and economically increase the amount of iron, zinc, and other micronutrients in our diet. Contrary to molecular/genetic methods, agronomic biofortification is done on current crop type to improve the product's consumer acceptability. Major food crops, unfortunately, are poor suppliers of the micronutrients necessary for healthy human growth. The biofortified food crops, particularly the cereals, legumes, vegetables, and fruits, are giving the targeted people enough micronutrients. Although transgenic research is given more attention, breeding has a significantly higher success rate and acceptance rate. In spite of the difficulties, biofortified crops have a promising future in the fight against hunger. Poor people's purchasing ability, access to markets and healthcare systems, and ignorance about the long-term health advantages of these vitamin supplements are further barriers [9, 10]. The development of biofortified crops eliminates the need to purchase fortificants and add them to the food supply during processing, making biofortification from an economic perspective a one-time investment that provides a cost-effective, long-term, and sustainable method of addressing hidden hunger [11–14]. A substantial population rise in the developing world is also possible

in the next decades, and combined with changing climate circumstances, ensuring food security will be more difficult [15, 16].

Since the majority of people consume a plant-based diet, nutritional security is essential to enhancing the health of the global population. The main source of the nutrients needed for healthy growth and development is plants. But due to their reliance on grain products, half of the world's population, mainly those from Asia and Africa, suffer from nutritional deficiencies [14, 17, 18].

#### **2. Significance of millets and biofortification**

Millets, which have an average annual production of 14.2 and 12.4 million tonnes, are the second-largest source of calories after cereal grains in resource-limited nations in Asia and Africa [19, 20]. India is the world's top producer of millets, as depicted in **Figures 1** and **2** making up around 80% of the total production [22] as mentioned in **Table 1**. Millets, which include pearl millet, finger millet, foxtail millet, proso millet, barn yard millet, kodo millet, and little millet, are frequently referred to as "small seeded grasses".

Pearl millet accounts for major share of the output of the millets [30–33]. Millets are therefore consumed as multi-grains to reap the collective health benefits of nutrients. Due to their high levels of proteins, dietary fibers, iron, zinc, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, vitamin B, and vital amino acids, millets are nutritionally superior to wheat and rice [34, 35]. However, anti-nutrients such as phytates, polyphenols, and tannins decrease the bioavailability of minerals by chelating multivalent cations including Fe2+, Zn2+, Ca2+, Mg2+, and K+ [36–40]. Additionally, the digestibility of millet grains is impacted by high levels of protease and amylase inhibitors [41–43] as shown below in the **Table 2**. Millets now have an orphan status in terms of worldwide economic significance due to the prevalence of antinutritional

**Figure 1.** *Major millets production in India.*

**Figure 2.** *Production share of millets country wise [21].*


#### **Table 1.**

*Millets and their cultivation in this world.*


#### **Table 2.**

*Millets as a rich source of nutritional contents.*

#### *Agronomic Biofortification of Millets: New Way to Alleviate Malnutrition DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.110805*

forces. When compared to other cereal crops, millets have significantly more genetic diversity for important mineral elements including iron, zinc, and calcium [57]. Additionally, millets are pest- and disease-resistant plants that can withstand drought [58] and provide effective crop insurance in underdeveloped nations [59, 60]. A food-based strategy called biofortification puts nutrient-dense crops at the doorsteps of underprivileged communities in order to combat nutritional hunger [61]. The Harvest Plus-Consultative Group for International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) Micronutrients project's Biofortification Challenge Program (BCP) has primarily targeted three crucial micronutrients (Fe, Zn, and vitamin A) in seven major staple crops, namely rice, beans, cassava, maize, sweet potato, pearl millet, and wheat [62]. In this situation, millets biofortification may offer an effective means of ensuring the nutritional security of the world's 8 billion people. By outlining the prospects and difficulties for enhancing the bioavailability of macro and micronutrients, we may explore the methods for accelerating biofortification in millets.

#### **3. Necessity for biofortification**

Our bodies require minute amounts of vitamins, and minerals and micronutrients. However, they have a significant influence and their deficiencies lead to major health problems such as chronic illnesses and stunting, weakened immunological and reproductive systems, and a decline in our physical and mental capabilities (WHO). Each year, more than 20 million people die from micronutrient deficiency, affecting more than 2 billion people [63, 64]. It is also known as "hidden hunger." Ten main causes of sickness and disease in low-income nations, [65] of which Zn and Fe deficits rank fifth and sixth and are largely persistent. The most vulnerable groups to micronutrient deficiencies are children and women. According to WHO estimates, malnutrition, particularly a lack of micronutrients, killed approximately 6.3 million children under the age of 15 in 2017 and 5.4 million of them were under the age of five [66]. This is mostly caused by inadequate protein consumption, a lack of access to high-quality meals rich in micronutrients like iodine, iron, and zinc, or a repetitive eating pattern. Children who were stunted in the mother's womb due to the expectant mother's poor consumption of micronutrient-enriched foods. A major worldwide issue for humanity, malnutrition is believed to impact more than half of the world's population. Traditionally, pharmaceutical supplementation and industrial fortification have been key strategies for addressing nutritional concerns. But these things are low reachability to poor income countries sometimes they reluctant to intakes of this tablet. So, the efficiencies of these strategies are low. Therefore, Biofortification was presented as a novel step. It is the act of breeding nutrients into food crops and is a reasonably cheap, long-term method of enhancing micronutrient delivery. This tactic not only lowers the number of people who are extremely malnourished and require supplemental therapy, but it also helps those people retain their improved nutritional status. Additionally, biofortification is a workable solution for rural people who are in poverty and might not have access to commercially market fortified meals and supplements. They prefer cereal-based foods, which are lower in protein and vitamins, and the soils in this area are depleted in zinc (50%) and iron (30%) and iodine, with the majority of the soil being damaged by alkalinity and salt problems [67].

Millets are advised for the health of newborns, nursing mothers, the elderly, and recovering patients. The grains are regarded as "gluten-free" because they gradually

release sugar into the bloodstream [68]. Millets are favored as dietary items for persons with diabetes and cardiovascular disorders because of their high fiber and protein content [69].

For biofortification to be successful, the following three issues must be resolved: A biofortified crop must meet the following criteria:

