Plant breeding: A component of public health strategy

Micronutrient malnutrition leading to hidden hunger is seriously damaging the health of billions of people world over. Micronutrient malnutrition (e.g., Fe, Zn and vitamin A deficiencies) now afflicts over 40% of the world’s population. Food fortification that involves adding of micronutrients to the food has played an important role in tackling the malnutrition problem to a great extent. Biofortification, on the other hand, improves the genetic potential of the crop plants to produce micronutrient- rich grains and thus offers self-sustaining solution.