Mainstreamed agriculture versus wild and underutilized species and

varieties for nutrition

U. Ruth Charrondiere, PhD

FAO, Rome

Global nutrition situation • Double burden of malnutrition

Undernutrition and micronutrient deficiencies are persisting. Obesity is endemic also in developing countries.

• Increased consumption of animal

products (e.g. China and India) and of processed foods.

• Simplification of diets and shift

towards westernized diets.

• Medicalized approach (fortification and supplementation) instead of a food-based approach using foods.

Astronauts’ diets

NASA (America)

• Foods only

• no supplements except for vitamin D

Is this achievable on earth?

Biodiversity and Nutrition What is biodiversity?

1. inter-species biodiversity (in nutrition called diverse diets) i.e. eat many different foods

2. Intra-species biodiversity (in nutrition called biodiversity) is adding a new dimension below species level

– varieties, cultivars and breeds

– but also wild, neglected and underutilized species (NUS)

differences in nutrient content between species are as high as within species (up to 1000 times)

difference between nutritional adequacy and inadequacy

Reason for importance:

Differences in food composition Food Protein

(g) Fibre

(g) Iron (mg)

Vitamin C (mg)

β-carotenes (mcg)

Rice 5.6-14.6 0.7-6.4

Cassava 0.7-6.4 0.9-1.5 0.9-2.5 25-34 <5-790

Potato 1.4-2.9 1-2.23 0.3-2.7 6.4-36.9 1-7.7

Sweet potato 1.3-2.1 0.7-3.9 0.6-14 2.4-35 100-23100

Taro 1.1-3 2.1-3.8 0.6-3.6 0-15 5-2040

Eggplant 9-19 50 - 129

Mango 0.3-1.0 1.3-3.8 0.4-2.8 22-110 20 – 4320

GAC 6180 – 13720

Apricot 0.8-1.4 1.7-2.5 0.3-0.9 3.5-16.5 200-6939 (β-carotene equivalent)

Banana 0.1-1.6 2.5-17.5 <1 – 8500

All nutrients values expressed per 100 g edible portion on fresh weight basis (EP).

3 x

> 1000 x

Mainstreamed vs. underutilized foods

Energy (kcal) Protein (g) Dietary Fibre

(g) Iron (mg)

Folate ( DFE mcg)

Quinoa*

raw 354 14.1 7.0 4.6 184

Rice* white, polished, raw

365 7.1 1.3 1.2 8

x 1 x 2 x 9 x 4 x 23

* USDA data in per 100 g edible portion on fresh weight basis.

Banana β-carotene

content (mcg/100 g)

Banana intake in Philippines

(g/d/p)

Vitamin A intake through

banana in (mcg RE/d/p)

RDI for vitamin A covered by

banana intake (%)

Cavendish 26 93 4 0.7

Utin Iap 8508 93 1319 220

almost no intake

adequate intake

Food composition data

Nutrient intakes Food labeling Diet

formulation Breeding/ research

Research nutrient intake

- disease

Nutrient requirements

Nutrition/food security/health policies

Agricultural policies

Food based dietary guidelines

Food aid/ fortification

Consumer information

Vitamin A deficiency in Micronesia • Traditionally, vitamin A deficiency was not know

• With shift to westernized diets (e.g. white rice and mutton tails) vitamin A deficiencies arrived

• Nutrition programme developed based on green leafy vegetables did not work as considered ‘pig foods’

• Exploration of traditional diets showed that local varieties of bananas and taro were very rich in carotenoides –> current programme re-introduces the traditional diet seems to work. See http://www.islandfood.org

The Great Vitamin A Fiasco (M. Latham)

• “Vitamin A (capsule) programmes are ineffective. They use up precious human and material resources. Most of all, they impede other approaches to the prevention of vitamin A deficiency [...]. These include breastfeeding, and the protection and development of healthy, affordable and appropriate food systems and supplies. Such approaches also protect against other diseases, are sustainable, enhance well-being, and have social, cultural, economic and environmental benefits.”

• “capsules do not have a significant effect on mortality” but de-worming and measles vaccination are effective

• “exceedingly rich sources of carotene such as palm and other fruits, tend to be overlooked [...], one reason being that they often grow wild, and even when cultivated do not feature in international or national food composition tables ”

Why consider biodiverse foods/NUS? • May have very interesting food compositions –

however often not known because not analyzed

• Part of local food systems: food culture, taste, traditions, medicine and spirituality

• Sustainable:

– Survived for centuries

– Contribute to resilient ecosystem

– Needed for adaptation to climate change and external shocks

– Represent the genetic resources to improve mainstreamed crops and breeds

Why are NUS ‘forgotten’? Agriculture emphasize on 3 crops (wheat, corn, maize) and the big 5 (cattle, pigs, chickens, sheep and goats) for research, production, subsidies, marketing and food security. And on energy only. Therefore:

• NUS have poor economic competitiveness because of little or no investments in NUS

• NUS lower productivity, yield, income and marketing

• NUS could be more labour intensive

• NUS got/will get lost if not used

• Changes towards more Western style diets and lifestyles

• Stigma of “food of the poor”.

Links between biodiversity, food and nutrition recognized by:

• International Rice Commission (2002)

• Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) – in 2014 links to health added and WHO

• Commission on genetic resources for food and agriculture (CGRFA)

• FAO

• ICN2 (2014)

Links increasingly recognized by more organizations and bodies and with a wider scope

How to achieve food security Objective: to produce sufficient nutrients for a healthy diet for all at all times and ensure that a population is able to acquire foods in sufficient quantity and quality and to utilize them efficiently.

Availability • Agricultural production = foods for

humans • Not only quantity (yield and

energy) is important but quality (esp. micronutrient content) = shift in paradigm

• Processed foods should contain good nutrient profiles

Access • Market, income

Utilization • Human body is in good health • Foods and water are safe • Consumers demand high quality foods • Adequate intra-household distribution of

foods

Stability • Economic, political, environmental and

GR stability • Sustainable agriculture conserving and

utilizing biodiversity • Sustainable consumption

Factors influencing nutrient composition of rice

Rice varieties

Source: adapted from T. Longvah, NIN, India

Environmental conditions: water, light

Fertilizer Soil

quality Milling Cooking Storage

Agricultural influence Post harvest influences

Genetics

International Rice Commission The Commission recommended that:

• Existing biodiversity of rice varieties and their nutritional composition need to be explored before engaging in transgenic research.

• Nutrient content needs to be among the criteria in cultivar promotion.

• Cultivar-specific nutrient analysis and data dissemination should be systematically undertaken.

FAO (2002). Report of the International Rice Commission 20th Session (23-26 July 2002, Bangkok). FAO, Rome.

Optimal food with

•high nutrient content

•high yield and pest resistance

•high acceptance by population

•acceptable price

Nutrition education, promotion/ads

Production and

distribution on large scale

Better nutrition, food security and income generation

Nutrition and Food

composition

Agricultural research

Genetic resources

FAO’s contribution to scientific evidence on biodiversity

No mainstreaming of nutrition or biodiversity

Health

Each having own goals

assumptions, policies,

programmes, messages – sometimes conflicting

Environment

Agriculture

Nutrition

Food security

Finance, Trade

Poverty reduction

Technology

Education Biodiversity

Mainstreaming of nutrition and biodiversity

Health

Environment

Agriculture

Nutrition

Food security

Finance, Trade

Poverty reduction

Technology

Education

Biodiversity

Common and coherent goals, assumptions, policies, programmes, messages to achieve better food-based nutrition through using existing biodiversity, especially for micronutrients.

Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (CGRFA) endorsed in 2015

Voluntary Guidelines for Mainstreaming Biodiversity into Policies, Programmes and National and Regional Plans of Action on Nutrition:

• Rational – why the guidelines are important

• Objectives – assist countries in mainstreaming GF

• Principles – including element for planning

• Three main elements

– Research – describe knowledge gap and way forward

– Implementation – describe important components

– Awareness – describe how to raise awareness of the general public and of the different stakeholders

www.b4fn.org

GEF-funded project Mainstreaming Biodiversity

Conservation and Sustainable Use for Improved Human

Nutrition and Well-being (2012 – 2017)

Objectives:

- Conservation of biodiversity through use

- Improve supply and demand side:

Through increased scientific evidence (food

composition) identify foods high in nutrients.

Increase their market potential and public awareness

- Influence policies to integrate biodiversity

BFN project: New analytical data to be generated on their composition

• Sri Lanka: 6 plant species (20 varieties)

• Brazil: 70 underutilized fruit species + 20 traditional vegetable species

• Kenya: 12 plant and animal species

• Turkey: 43 wild plant species

Challenges when mainstreaming NUS Example quinoa - International year of quinoa in 2013

• Global demand increased for ‘standardized’ products

• New products and market chains developed

• Price increased in Bolivia

– More income for farmers

– Poor could no more afford quinoa and replaced it with less nutritious crops

• Substantial soil degradation and a loss of biodiversity of quinoa varieties ( 3 varieties for 75% production) = monoculture and its associated problems

• Through investment into agricultural research, quinoa is now cultivated in many countries, e.g. USA or DK

Policies needed to avoid harm to food systems and people

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Participants Over 2.200 people participated in the ICN2 Eminent personalities 162 Member States of FAO and WHO + 1 Associate Member + EU + 3 Observers - 85 Ministers and 23 Vice- Ministers from Foreign Affairs, Agriculture, Health and other sectors - 82 Ambassadors and 114 High-level government officials Accredited Observers - 27 UN and other IGOs - 164 civil society and private sector organizations Parliamentarians, opinion leaders, researchers and development experts

Outcome documents

Rome Declaration on Nutrition

commitment for more effective and coordinated

action to improve nutrition

Framework for Action

a voluntary technical guide for implementation

of Political Declaration

Ten ICN2 commitments Eradicate hunger and prevent all forms of malnutrition

Increase investments

Enhance sustainable food systems

Raise the profile of nutrition

Strengthen human and institutional capacities

Strengthen and facilitate, contributions and action by all

stakeholders

Ensure healthy diets throughout the life course

Create enabling environment for making informed choices

Implement commitments through Framework for Action

Integrate vision and commitments into post-2015 agenda

Framework for Action 60 policy and strategy recommendations to achieve better nutrition for all Thematic areas for action: - Enabling environment – with multi-sector engagement - Sustainable food systems for healthy diets - Nutrition-enhancing investment and trade - Nutrition education and information - Social protection - Strong and resilient health systems, including actions on: o breastfeeding, wasting , stunting , childhood overweight and obesity, anaemia in women of reproductive age and health services to improve nutrition - Water sanitation and hygiene - Food safety - Accountability

Governments primary responsibility to take action, in dialogue with a wide range of stakeholders

Summary • Biodiversity and NUS can improve nutrition, health and food

security based on foods.

• Biodiversity can make the difference between nutritional adequacy and inadequacy and professionals and consumers need to know more about it.

• Biodiversity needs to be mainstreamed into many policies and programmes (Voluntary Guidelines).

• Move to nutrition-sensitive agriculture (ICN2).

• The more biodiversity and diverse diets are consumed the lower the need for fortification and supplementation.

Thank you for your attention

Any questions?

Ruth.Charrondiere@fao.org