**7. Developments in biofortification**

As of 2018, 6.7 million farm families throughout the world produced biofortified crops, and these goods undoubtedly end up in meals. More than 300 different cultivars of crops, including rice, wheat, maize, cassava, orange sweet potato, potato, lentil, beans, cowpea, banana, and plantain, have been made available so far in 30 different countries [102]. To populate biofortified crops and create an enabling environment, a number of institutions including the.


An environment like this includes, among other things, designing new development policies and agendas that take into account the programmes currently being implemented on the ground, recognizing biofortification among global regulatory agencies, collaborating between agencies from various sectors, encouraging private

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

players to play an active role, and more. In order to promote a single, integrated dialog on standards and governance and to provide society the maximum return on investment feasible, CGIAR will continue to use its diverse network of international organizations, research institutes, and civil society groups throughout the world. One of them, Harvest Plus, is in charge of the biofortification initiative, which it will enable over the next years with the primary participation of local governments [102].

There is considerable evidence that eating these biofortified cereals with added macro- and micronutrients helps reduce malnutrition in underdeveloped nations. Micronutrient deficits in India have become worse due to the growth of high yielding cultivars, numerous cropping methods requires attention [103] and rising soil degradation [104]. Agronomic (raising micronutrients by soil amendments or foliar spray), biofortification is the intentional application of mineral fertilizers (such as enriched manures) to crops in order to raise the concentration of a target mineral in edible crop components and hence improve dietary intake of the target mineral [94] conventional breeding (which includes induced mutagenesis), and recombinant DNA technology (genetic engineering, GM) are the three biofortification procedures that have been found [105]. Both the impacts on the nutritional value of these small grains and the effects on the end-use functional qualities will be studied.

#### **8. Advantages of biofortification**

Similar to the Green Revolution, a hunger-eradication initiative was launched in India. Due to the Green Revolution, the nation is producing more edible grains and is now nearly self-sufficient. To make sure that the populace is ingesting adequate calories, the government is putting many programmes and procedures into place. The improvement of the diet's nutritional content, however, is the present priority. Even when they consume "adequate food," many people may not acquire enough nutrients. The issue of "hidden hunger" is the outcome. With Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent support of locally grown foods as a long-term, economical solution to malnutrition, the Government of India (GoI) is encouraging biofortification. The availability of several biofortified crops in India, such as iron pearl millet, zinc wheat, zinc rice, zinc sorghum, and iron/zinc lentils, helps address the country's micronutrient deficits by raising dietary levels of iron and zinc.

By utilizing distinct strategies, biofortification gives developing nations several benefits. In order to boost crops, research and initiatives like Harvest Plus are concentrating on the micronutrients iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), and vitamin A, which are considered by the World Health Organization to be the most scarce micronutrients. These common crops can be found everywhere and do not require specific management because it is possible to enhance the yield without compromising the crop's productivity. It can even lead to better development and larger yields because the majority of the target minerals are crucial for the plant's own nutritional requirements and may help the plant tolerate environmental stress. It is practiced on crop cultivars that farmers are already growing and have good production acceptability, to increase the micronutrient content of grain and other agricultural components in the same year. When the foliar treatment is used, very little micronutrient is required. Further, no investment is required. The agronomic techniques that we can use to boost the concentration of nutrients in edible parts. Helps in maintaining the physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of the soil with Integrated Nutrient management practices.
