[pronut-hiv] What is the difference between biofortification and GMO?

["WARD SIAMUSANTU" <wsiamusantu@yahoo.com>]

Dear Bonnie,

Thank you very much for this information. But, please
could you explain for me the difference between
biofortification and GMO? 

Some of us we come from a country where once you
mention GMO in a staple food NO will look at you.

Ward.
--- "McClafferty, Bonnie (HarvestPlus)"
<b.mcclafferty@cgiar.org> wrote:

> 
> As communication coordinator for HarvestPlus, I
> would like to respond to
> the thoughtful questions emerging on the network
> related to
> biofortification. 
> 
> HarvestPlus is a Challenge Program of the
> Consultative
> Group on International Agricultural research.  Our
> mandate is to
> increase the micronutrient density of staple foods
> to have measurable
> impact on nutritional status - biofortify them.
> 
> We do believe that dietary diversity is the solution
> for achieving nutrient sufficiency but we also
> recognize that income dictates consumption patterns
> and that diets of the poor are made up of
> predominantly staple foods (upwards of 70%).  Thus
> the idea is quite simple...put more nutrients in the
> foods that the undernourished eat.  
> 
> For the time being HarvestPlus is focusing on
> biofortifying staple crops
> that poor people grow and/or eat with iron, zinc and
> beta carotene.
> During our first four years we are focusing on
> biofortifying six target
> staple crops (rice, maize, wheat, cassava, bean and
> sweetpotato). We
> plan to add 10 other crops in our second phase of
> research. We are an
> alliance of 46 agricultural and nutrition research
> and project
> implementation institutes including members of
> academia, government and
> civil society in Asia, Africa, Europe, Latin and
> North America.  
> 
> In answer to a few of the questions...
> 
> Needing more inputs
> In order for farmers to want to grow these varieties
> they must be
> agronomically superior and offer some sort of market
> advantage.  If they
> do not have potential in the market, farmers will
> not grow them.
> HarvestPlus is adding micronutrients to the latest
> varieties emerging
> from national agricultural research systems.    In
> some cases
> micronutrients are added to pest resistant varieties
> and therefore
> require fewer inputs (in terms of pesticide), in
> some cases they are
> added to the high yielding varieties planned for
> dissemination by the
> national agricultural research systems - some more
> input dependant than
> others.  In maize we are looking at OPVs (open
> pollinated varieties) as
> well as hybrids.  
> 
> The propagation habits are different in each crop.
> Some are developed
> from seed, others from tissue.  Sometimes the method
> of pollination is
> an issue sometimes it is not.  What we do know is
> that on their own
> these varieties will be more efficient at taking up
> nutrients from the
> soil and storing them in the edible portions. We are
> also testing
> whether they would store even more if micronutrient
> fertilizer is added.
> 
> 
> It takes time
> Between screening germ plasm banks to find parents
> for breeding,
> performing crosses and backcrosses, and testing the
> varieties in various
> target environments and with farmers, it takes on
> average seven years to
> develop a new variety.  From here it must be tested
> with consumers,
> markets must be developed, etc.  Yes, it takes a
> while to develop
> biofortified crops.  
> 
> Public goods
> All products developed from HarvestPlus, including
> research methods,
> protocols and the biofortified crops are public
> goods that are developed
> in collaboration with national agricultural research
> systems.  The
> products are made available license -free to
> national agricultural
> research systems in the developing world.
>  
> Where is nutrition?
> Nutrition research is at the center of the program. 
> Nutrition
> researchers set the targets for breeding taking into
> account,
> consumption, bioavailability, absorption inhibitors
> and promoters, etc.
> Our nutrition teams also perform extensive
> bioavailability studies in
> vitro and in animal subjects as well as human test
> meal studies.
> Retention of nutrients in the crops and products
> forms a third pillar of
> the nutrition research work and finally efficacy and
> effectiveness
> studies are performed on each crop under
> development.  
> 
> Biofortification is anything but simple and brief. 
> For more information
> I would encourage those who are interested to visit
> our website
> www.HarvestPlus.org.  
> 
> Bonnie McClafferty
> Communications Coordinator
> HarvestPlus
>    
> 
> -----Stacia Nordin wrote:
> 
> You are exactly right Jinda.  These seeds have taken
> a long time in labs
> to develop and create the seed.  I'm not sure which
> process they've used
> to do the biofortification
>  *  open-pollinated so that the seeds can be saved
> and replanted, or
>  *  hybrid that are forced to cross and the seeds
> cannot be saved and
> replanted, or
>  *  genetic engineering that are forced to have a
> gene added and the
> seeds cannot be saved and planted.
> 
> I would guess they are hybrid or genetically
> engineered.
> 
> Encourage people to plant and eat more nutrient
> dense foods, that is the
> root issue of alot of our problems.
> 
> Stacia
> 
> 
> ----- "Jindra Cekan" wrote:
> 
> Dear Fuad Hassan Mohamed:
> 
>  While I very much appreciate your interest, I
> believe this
> fortification is at the seed production level as it
> involves genetics.
> Such seeds would then be given either to
> agricultural extensionists for
> field trials or maybe for sale, but genetically
> enhanced seeds often
> need quite expensive chemical fertilizers. Does
> anyone know more on
> this? Very best wishes, especially during the
> drought there!
> 
> Jindra Cekan
> 
> 
>       Jindra Cekan, PhD
> CEKAN CONSULTING LLC
>   Food Security/ Livelihoods and HIV/AIDS Proposals,
> Training,
> Facilitation
> 323 11th Street NE Suite 100
> Washington DC 20002 USA
>   www.cekanconsulting.com
> US tel: 202-375-3119
> Czech tel: 420-731-106-296
> -------fuad.hassan@fsausomali.org wrote: 
> Biofortification Method
> 
> However I want to apply to our Somali farmers so I
> need help from you
> about the techniques of how to be fortifying the
> crops/seeds, what is
> expecting to do during the plantation process
> including the availability
> of fortified seeds and ways or strategies of
> implementations
> 
> 
>