The first corn variety that yields kernels rich in zinc, now available to farmers in Colombia, will combat malnutrition in the South American nation, says a coalition of researchers. The new variety, known as BIO-MZN01, has 36 percent more zinc than the average corn variety, which will translate into arepas, a staple corn-based food in Colombia, that contain five times as much zinc.
Developed through traditional crop-breeding techniques, the biofortified variety may help resolve the country’s dietary deficiencies. Up to 50 percent of the people in some regions of Colombia are zinc-deficient. The condition can lead to respiratory infections, diarrhea, and a weakening of the body’s immune system.
The UN Food and Agriculture Organization estimates that 42 million people in Latin America, or 7 percent of the population, suffer from various types of malnutrition.
The new corn variety was developed by the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), with the support of HarvestPlus, the CGIAR Research Program on Maize, and the CGIAR Research Program on Agriculture for Nutrition and Health. CIMMYT is an international corn and wheat research center in Mexico. HarvestPlus works with 400 partners worldwide to develop crops rich in vitamins and minerals. CGIAR is a global agricultural research network.