Context: The 75th Anniversary of Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) will be observed on 16th October 2020.
Key Points

• PM Modi will release a commemorative coin of Rs 75 denomination to mark the long-standing relation of India with FAO.
• PM will also dedicate to the Nation 17 recently developed biofortified varieties of 8 crops.

Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)

• The FAO is a specialized agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger and improve nutrition and food security.
• It was founded in October 1945 and is composed of 197 member states.
• It serves both developed and developing countries and acts as a neutral forum where all nations meet as equals to negotiate arguments and debate policy.
• It helps developing countries in transition modernize and improve agriculture, forestry and fisheries practices, ensuring good nutrition and food security for all.
• FAO’s overall programme of work is funded by assessed and voluntary contributions by member countries and intergovernmental organizations.
• Member countries’ assessed contributions comprise the regular budget, set at the biennial FAO Conference.
• HQ: Rome, Italy.

India and FAO

• India is one of the founding members of FAO, it joined FAO in 1945 as a low-income food-deficient country.
• India’s proposals for the International Year of Pulses in 2016 and the International Year of Millets 2023 have also been endorsed by FAO.
• With collective efforts of Indian govt. and FAO India’s food grain production rose more than five times from 50 million tons in 1950 to over 257 million tons in 2014-15.
• Oilseeds production is expected to reach 40 MT soon.
• India is the world’s largest milk producer, producing over 130 million tons annually.
• The dairy sector is also one of the largest employers of rural people, especially women.
• With an annual production of over 10 million tons, India ranks second in global fish production and aquaculture, next only to China.

World Food Day 2020:

• It is an international day celebrated every year around the world on 16 October in honor of the date of the founding of FAO.
• The main objective of World Food Day is to consider food as a basic and fundamental human right.

About Biofortication

• Biofortification is the process by which the nutritional quality of food crops is improved through agronomic practices, conventional plant breeding, or modern biotechnology.
• Biofortification can be done using non-genetically-modified methods as well. Biofortification using traditional method involves crossing varieties over successive generations to eventually yield a plant with high nutrient content along with other favorable traits.

Examples of biofortification projects include:

• Iron-biofortification of rice, beans, sweet potato, cassava, and legumes.
• Zinc-biofortification of wheat, rice, beans, sweet potato, and maize.
• Provitamin A carotenoid-biofortification of sweet potato, maize and cassava.
• Amino acid and protein-biofortification of sorghum and cassava.

Importance of Biofortification

• Biofortified crops are rich in iron and have the potential to improve iron status and cognition. That helps in improving the overall health of human.
• Biofortified crops are also often more resilient to pests, diseases, higher temperatures, drought and provide a high yield.
• Biofortification fills an important gap as it provides a food-based, sustainable and low-dose alternative to iron supplementation. It does not require behavior change, can reach the poorest sections of the society, and supports local farmers.
• After the initial investment to develop the biofortified seed, it can be replicated and distributed without any reduction in the micronutrient concentration. This makes it highly cost-effective and sustainable.
• Considering the various implementation barriers faced by genetically modified crops in India, biofortification which can be done through non-genetically-modified methods as well can be a better alternative.

Challenges for Biofortification in India

• Lack of consumer acceptance due to color changes (e.g. golden rice) and last mile reach of fortified food remains a big challenge.
• Adoption of farmers and cost involved in the process of fortification also poses a challenge for biofortification in India.
• Though biofortification can be done using non-genetically-modified methods it is a slower process than genetic modification.
• The existence of an effective seed and rural extension system for multiplication and dissemination of new varieties will also pose a challenge.

Biofortified varieties of crops:

• The 17 recently developed biofortified varieties of 8 crops to be dedicated to the nation by the PM will have up to 3.0-fold increase in nutritional value.
• The rice variety CR Dhan 315 has high zinc.
• Wheat variety HI 1633 rich in protein, iron and zinc.
• HD 3298 rich in protein and iron.
• DBW 303 and DDW 48 rich in protein in wheat.
• Ladhowal Quality Protein Maize Hybrid 1, 2 and 3 rich in lysine and tryptophan.
• CFMV1 and 2 of finger millet rich in calcium, iron and zinc.
• CLMV1 of little Millet rich in iron and zinc.
• Pusa Mustard 32 with low erucic acid.
• Girnar 4 and 5 of groundnut with enhanced oleic acid.
• Yam variety Sri Neelima and DA 340 with enhanced zinc, iron and anthocyanin content.

These varieties, along with other food ingredients, will transform the normal Indian thali into nutri-thali.

• The National Agricultural Research System under the leadership of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) developed 53 such varieties during the last five years. 
• The high zinc rice has been developed from landraces of Assam rice collected from Garo hills and finger millets from Gujarat collections of Dang district.

Nutri-Sensitive Agricultural Resources and Innovations:

• ICAR has started Nutri-Sensitive Agricultural Resources and Innovations (NARI) programme.
• It is aimed for promoting family farming linking agriculture to nutrition, nutri-smart villages for enhancing nutritional security and location specific nutrition garden models are being developed.
• It is being done to ensure access to locally available, healthy and diversified diet with adequate macro and micronutrients.

Significance

• The production of bio-fortified crop varieties will be upscaled and linked with government programmes of mid-day meal, Anganwadi etc.
• This will reduce malnutrition and make India Kuposhan Mukta through naturally enriched food ingredients.
• This will also usher in higher income of farmers and will open new avenues of entrepreneurship development.

Key Facts

• Nearly 45% of deaths among children are linked to malnutrition in India.
• Eliminating malnutrition is one of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals of the UN.