Cultivation of zinc-rich rice yet to catch on

The cultivation of zinc biofortified paddy is yet to reach sufficient levels due to low demand stemming from a lack of awareness on the benefits of consuming the grain, according to various experts.

Zinc deficiency is a major concern in Bangladesh as about 32.5 per cent of the children and 45.40 per cent of women in the country do not consume adequate amounts of the essential nutrient.

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As a result, many of them are suffering from stunted growth and malnutrition.

"But it would be possible to eliminate this issue by consuming zinc-fortified rice as about 70 per cent of a person's daily requirement can be obtained from the grain," said Ashek Mahfuz, portfolio lead of the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), a Geneva-based non-profit foundation.

"So, zinc-fortified rice should be popularised among the people to foster demand and subsequently increase production across the country," he added.

Mahfuz made these remarks at a roundtable, styled "Opportunity of Reducing Malnutrition through Biofortified Zinc Rice in Bangladesh", jointly organised by GAIN and Empiric Research Limited at the Hotel Sheraton Dhaka yesterday.

Speaking as chief guest, Agriculture Minister Muhammad Abdur Razzaque said zinc deficiency in women and children has reached alarming levels.

"During the coronavirus pandemic, we clearly understood the necessity of zinc in our diet," he added.

Razzaque then said they have long been working on reducing vitamin, iron and iodine deficiencies in the country.

"Now, we want to work on zinc. For this, a well-planned target has to be taken at the public and private levels," he added.

Moshiur Rahman, an agronomy professor of Bangladesh Agriculture University, said along with bringing changes in the cropping pattern, diversifying the peoples' diet to include zinc should also be prioritised.

Shaikh Mohammad Bokhtiar, executive chairman of the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council, said all concerned should broaden their focus on cultivating other zinc-rich crops along with paddy.

He also insisted on raising awareness on the benefits of zinc-rich foods through countrywide campaigns.

Md Shahjahan Kabir, director general of the Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI), said the human body requires 11 milligrams of zinc each day as it cannot produce or store the nutrient on its own.

So far, the BRRI has developed seven zinc-rich varieties of rice.

Among them, the BRRI Paddy-84 has the highest concentration of the nutrient.

"The BRRI is now bringing high zinc-rich rice. The concentration of zinc in the rice available is about 45 parts per million," Kabir added.

Md Momtaz Uddin, additional secretary of the food ministry, said they are buying zinc rice from different districts to provide people with nutrient-rich food under various support programmes.

"To ensure nutrition among low-income people and encourage farmers to cultivate zinc rice, the ministry will continue such programmes," he added.

The event was chaired by Wahida Akter, secretary to the agriculture ministry.

Among others, Badal Chandra Biswas, director general of the Department of Agricultural Extension, FH Ansarey, president of ACI Agribusiness, Golam Iftekhar Mahmud, special correspondent of Prothom Alo, and Rudaba Khondker, country director of GAIN, spoke at the event.