The Current Status of Genetic Biofortification in Alleviating Malnutrition in Africa

Overview

Journal J Genet Eng Biotechnol

Specialty Biotechnology

Date 2024 Dec 14

PMID 39674627

Authors

Gideon Sadikiel Mmbando

Julius Missanga

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Africa is a continent where undernutrition and micronutrient deficiencies are common and malnutrition is a major problem. Genetic biofortification (GB) offers a promising way to combat malnutrition. But little is still known about how widely used GB is in Africa today. This review explores the status, achievements, and challenges of GB on the continent today. It draws attention to the potential for enhanced nutritional results from biofortified crops that are enhanced with vital elements like zinc, iron, and vitamin A. Biofortification has a demonstrable positive effect on health and wellness, as evidenced by success stories from several African nations. However, obstacles like a lack of farmer awareness, difficulty obtaining biofortified seeds, and complicated regulations make adoption difficult. Research and collaboration advances hold the potential for increasing GB's effectiveness. This study offers guidance for the future and calls for coordinated efforts to implement GB programs to achieve a well-nourished Africa.

References

Jenkins M, Byker Shanks C, Brouwer R, Houghtaling B . Factors affecting farmers' willingness and ability to adopt and retain vitamin A-rich varieties of orange-fleshed sweet potato in Mozambique. Food Secur. 2019; 10(6):1501-1519. PMC: 6308240. DOI: 10.1007/s12571-018-0845-9. View

Kumar S, Palve A, Joshi C, Srivastava R, Rukhsar . Crop biofortification for iron (Fe), zinc (Zn) and vitamin A with transgenic approaches. Heliyon. 2019; 5(6):e01914. PMC: 6579847. DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2019.e01914. View

Ikoona E, Toure M, Njenga A, Namulemo L, Kaluya R, Kamara K . Double burden of malnutrition among women in reproductive Age (15-49 years) in Sierra Leone: a secondary data analysis of the demographic health survey 2019 (SLDHS-2019). BMC Nutr. 2023; 9(1):133. PMC: 10662572. DOI: 10.1186/s40795-023-00795-w. View

Muriuki J, Mentzer A, Webb E, Morovat A, Kimita W, Ndungu F . Estimating the burden of iron deficiency among African children. BMC Med. 2020; 18(1):31. PMC: 7045745. DOI: 10.1186/s12916-020-1502-7. View

Osei Bonsu E, Addo I . Prevalence and correlates of overweight and obesity among under-five children in Egypt. Front Public Health. 2023; 10:1067522. PMC: 9795067. DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.1067522. View

Dwivedi S, Garcia-Oliveira A, Govindaraj M, Ortiz R . Biofortification to avoid malnutrition in humans in a changing climate: Enhancing micronutrient bioavailability in seed, tuber, and storage roots. Front Plant Sci. 2023; 14:1119148. PMC: 9923027. DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1119148. View

Sodedji K, Assogbadjo A, Lee B, Kim H . An Integrated Approach for Biofortification of Carotenoids in Cowpea for Human Nutrition and Health. Plants (Basel). 2024; 13(3). PMC: 10856932. DOI: 10.3390/plants13030412. View

Bilal J, Rayis D, AlEed A, Al-Nafeesah A, Adam I . Maternal Undernutrition and Low Birth Weight in a Tertiary Hospital in Sudan: A Cross-Sectional Study. Front Pediatr. 2022; 10:927518. PMC: 9253371. DOI: 10.3389/fped.2022.927518. View

Neela S, Fanta S . Review on nutritional composition of orange-fleshed sweet potato and its role in management of vitamin A deficiency. Food Sci Nutr. 2019; 7(6):1920-1945. PMC: 6593376. DOI: 10.1002/fsn3.1063. View

10.

Ma Z, Wang C, Lee Y . Editorial: Malnutrition: A Cause or a Consequence of Poverty?. Front Public Health. 2022; 9:796435. PMC: 8764289. DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2021.796435. View

11.

Kudapa H, Barmukh R, Vemuri H, Gorthy S, Pinnamaneni R, Vetriventhan M . Genetic and genomic interventions in crop biofortification: Examples in millets. Front Plant Sci. 2023; 14:1123655. PMC: 10025513. DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1123655. View

12.

Van Der Straeten D, Bhullar N, De Steur H, Gruissem W, MacKenzie D, Pfeiffer W . Multiplying the efficiency and impact of biofortification through metabolic engineering. Nat Commun. 2020; 11(1):5203. PMC: 7567076. DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-19020-4. View

13.

Mmbando G . The legal aspect of the current use of genetically modified organisms in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. GM Crops Food. 2023; 14(1):1-12. PMC: 10171133. DOI: 10.1080/21645698.2023.2208999. View

14.

Ludwig Y, Slamet-Loedin I . Genetic Biofortification to Enrich Rice and Wheat Grain Iron: From Genes to Product. Front Plant Sci. 2019; 10:833. PMC: 6646660. DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2019.00833. View

15.

Seid A, Babbel N . Prevalence of malnutrition among old age people in Africa. Front Aging. 2022; 3:1002367. PMC: 9686835. DOI: 10.3389/fragi.2022.1002367. View

16.

Mrimi E, Palmeirim M, Minja E, Long K, Keiser J . Malnutrition, anemia, micronutrient deficiency and parasitic infections among schoolchildren in rural Tanzania. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2022; 16(3):e0010261. PMC: 8926280. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0010261. View

17.

Shifera N, Endale A, Debela D, Yosef T . Acute malnutrition and its contributing factors among children under-five years in rural kebeles of Shashemene Oromia, Ethiopia. Front Nutr. 2023; 9:1053928. PMC: 9811139. DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2022.1053928. View

18.

Degefa K, Tadesse A, Ackley C, Madrid L, Assefa N, Breines M . Using traditional healers to treat child malnutrition: a qualitative study of health-seeking behaviour in eastern Ethiopia. BMC Public Health. 2022; 22(1):873. PMC: 9059398. DOI: 10.1186/s12889-022-13323-5. View

19.

Nouayti H, Bouanani N, Hammoudi J, Mekhfi H, Legssyer A, Bnouham M . Overweight and obesity in Eastern Morocco: Prevalence and associated risk factors among high school students. Rev Epidemiol Sante Publique. 2020; 68(5):295-301. DOI: 10.1016/j.respe.2020.06.007. View

20.

Siddiqui F, Salam R, Lassi Z, Das J . The Intertwined Relationship Between Malnutrition and Poverty. Front Public Health. 2020; 8:453. PMC: 7485412. DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2020.00453. View