At a recent CGIAR Science Week Side Event, “Accelerating Uptake of Biofortified and Health-Enhancing Crops and Products – How?”, thought leaders from CGIAR centers, national research programs, and the private sector converged to explore biofortification’s potential as a game-changing solution to address malnutrition. The consensus was clear: biofortification is a proven, scalable, and transformative approach to tackling hidden hunger and enhancing quality of food systems.

From Concept to Impact: Biofortification Has Come of Age

“Twenty years ago, we asked a simple question,” said Arun Baral, CEO of HarvestPlus Solutions. “Can we breed crops with high micronutrients? Will these crops improve the nutrition and health of people? Will smallholder farmers adopt them?” Today, those questions have been answered. Over 330 million people across Africa, Asia, and Latin America now consume biofortified crops.

“These results are amazing,” said Arun. “One of our best stories is in Pakistan, where we partnered with CIMMYT and the Pakistan National Agriculture Research System (NARES) to develop and release zinc-enriched wheat varieties. We created demand for the zinc wheat variety among farmers and catalyzed seed production through private and state seed companies. In the last harvest of 2024, nearly 50% of Pakistan’s wheat grain production was zinc-enriched, with an estimated grain value of approximately USD 5 billion.” Arun emphasized, “This is a significant impact that HarvestPlus, CGIAR, NARES, and Pakistani partners have made to improve health and food systems through an agricultural approach”.

“Yet, with over 2 billion people still malnourished and 3 billion unable to afford a healthy diet, the journey is far from over,” Arun noted. “We are committed to bringing technologies like iron beans to market and to the people who need them most, just as we did with KALRO in Kenya. Our goal is to reach 1 billion people within the next decade. However, we can’t do it alone – partnerships with NARES, CGIAR centers, and the private sector are crucial.”

HarvestPlus Solutions: Bridging Research and the Real World

Recognizing the limitations of public research institutions in scaling to the last mile, HarvestPlus has established HarvestPlus Solutions (HPS) – a private-sector-oriented entity designed to drive commercialization and scale. “CGIAR conducts the research, but someone needs to take it to the people – the last mile. Small companies can’t invest in large R&D budgets or mass-market awareness campaigns. That’s where HPS comes in – to catalyze scale and make nutritious foods available and affordable.” Arun explained.

We Must Breed Solutions

Biofortification is not a silver bullet, but in the face of malnutrition, food inflation, and limited dietary diversity, it may be the most practical and scalable solution. As the speakers concluded, ‘Let’s not just breed crops – we must breed solutions.’

The momentum is clear, the science is sound, and the opportunity is vast. Now is the time to double down on biofortification, integrate it into cropping systems, and make nutrition the foundation of global food systems.  Please watch the full recording of the event here.