Biofortification of Staple Foods: Breeding nutrition into daily diets

In this episode of Milestones in Pediatric Nutrition, Professor Andrew Prentice interviews Dr. Howarth Bouis, 2016 World Food Prize laureate and founding director of HarvestPlus, about the development and impact of biofortification of staple crops. Dr. Bouis describes how his work began in the early 1990s, driven by the high recurrent costs of supplementation and the potential for crops themselves to deliver essential micronutrients. He outlines key challenges, such as combining nutrient density with high yields, ensuring bioavailability, achieving consumer acceptance, and sustaining long-term investment in crop development. Since its launch in 2003, HarvestPlus has developed biofortified varieties of 13 staple crops targeting iron, zinc, and vitamin A deficiencies. Evidence demonstrating higher-than-expected provitamin A bioavailability and meaningful iron absorption supported large-scale adoption. Today, biofortified crops are grown in more than 40 countries, reaching an estimated 400 million people. The discussion also explores future opportunities, including genetic modification technologies to further enhance micronutrient content in staple foods.