Scientists at a global grain research institute are expected to suddenly raise new zinc-enriched wheat varieties that can stimulate the essential mineral for millions of poor people on poor diets, the head of the institute told Reuters.
Martin Kropff, director general of the International Center for the Improvement of Maize and Wheat (CIMMYT), said he expects newly developed wheat with a high zinc content to represent at least 80% of the world’s varieties over the next ten years. increase from about 9% at present.
Research at the Mexico-based institute focuses on increasing the yields and livelihoods of the world’s poorest farmers, while addressing the specific challenges of climate change, including higher temperatures, less rainfall and mutated plant diseases. constant.
The improved varieties of so-called biofortified wheat are being launched with the help of seed company partners from countries such as India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Mexico and Bolivia.
Kropff said the Asian giant China may also start adopting fortified wheat varieties this year.
Over the next decade, he said he expects almost all newly planted wheat varieties to be nutritionally improved, noting that high-zinc varieties have been developed through traditional breeding techniques instead of research based on genetically modified organisms (GMOs). -hate).
“This is something that really starts this year,” said Kropff, who also highlighted the corn developed by CIMMYT, which has been introduced to Colombia in the past two years.
“I am very proud of this,” he added, supporting the seeds’ ability to sweep away their malnutrition through one of their cereal commodities.
The dramatic expansion of new wheat varieties, which has not been reported before, promises to improve diets that do not have essential minerals, such as zinc and iron, used to fight viruses and move oxygen throughout the body.
Zinc deficiency, in particular, is one of the main causes of malnutrition globally and is estimated to affect more than 2 billion people.
CIMMYT scientists, with a research budget last year of $ 120 million, have developed about 70% of the currently planted wheat varieties globally, as well as about half of the world’s corn or maize varieties.
The vast majority of CIMMYT research is non-GMO.
The institute was founded by Norman Borlaug, winner of the 1970 Nobel Peace Prize, and leads research projects in about 50 countries. It has attracted funding from the US and British governments, among others, as well as billionaires such as Bill Gates and Carlos Slim.
“THE FIRST OF ITS TYPE” START
Kropff also mentioned three newly developed varieties of CIMMYT maize that are resistant to the autumn worm (FAW), an insect that has caused major damage to both African and Asian crops, which have been grown in Kenya with with the help of the CIMMYT corn seed bank in Mexico. , the largest in the world.
“Like humans, (worms) like corn, but it eats leaves and also grains, and it’s really awful,” Kropff said.
The new varieties will be distributed in the next few months for performance tests in Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda, Rwanda, South Sudan, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe, according to CIMMYT officials.
Kropff, a 64-year-old Dutch scientist, said FAW-resistant maize varieties are the first of their kind and have already been selected for study in East African countries ahead of similar routes expected in South Africa. later in the year.
He said that CIMMYT, which in a typical year develops and develops about 35 improved wheat varieties globally, fills a space on which the largest profit-maximizing seed companies, such as Germany’s Bayer AG (BAYGn.DE ) or Corteva Inc (CTVA.N) in the USA. tend to avoid.
“We grow species specifically for those environments where the private sector cannot make money,” he said, explaining that the poorest farmers must regularly adopt new varieties that can thrive in a world where pests and diseases are evolving. constantly.
“Small farmers rely on us.”
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