Download - Maize

Linkages with other SIs
SI 7 will make use of high‐potential, stress‐tolerant germplasm developed in SI 4 and SI 5 as parental
materials for introgression of genes affecting pro‐VA content, and will use new tools developed in SI 9,
particularly doubled haploids, to speed line extraction. Rapid‐cycle genomic selection may be potentially
used to speed population improvement for complex quantitative traits, such as kernel micronutrient
concentrations (especially zinc). SI 1 will provide guidance on technology targeting, value chains,
marketing strategies, institutional innovations and policy options for effective technological
dissemination and impacts.
What's new in this initiative?
The role of biofortification as a strategy to combat malnutrition and associated health problems has
recently gained global recognition (Copenhagen Consensus 2008) as one of the five highest priority
investments, based on the costs and benefits of the solutions, to combat the greatest global
challenges.
This Strategic Initiative shall provide technological knowledge and germplasm base to TA4
(Agriculture, Health and Nutrition) which aims to provide multidisciplinary, multi‐institutional and
policy support to achieve greater impacts than ever before through biofortification.
The Initiative shall create strong links between molecular genetics (e.g. allele mining and markerassisted
selection), biochemistry (e.g. high‐throughput phenotyping), nutrition (e.g. factors
influencing bioavailability) and plant breeding, for enhanced effectiveness of maize biofortification
strategy.
Targets and impact estimates
Targeting of this Initiative is based mainly on overlap between percentage of malnourished people in the
target country and the contribution of maize to total daily calorie intake. For pro‐VA maize the primary
target country is Zambia, with secondary emphases on Ethiopia, Angola, Ghana and Nigeria, and spillover
to several countries including India, China, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Haiti and Mexico. For QPM the
primary target countries are Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Ethiopia, Malawi, Zimbabwe,
Zambia, Uganda, Kenya, Ghana, and Nigeria, with spill‐over benefits to many countries in sub‐Saharan
Africa, Asia and Latin America, including Mali, Benin Republic, India and China.
Development of new nutritionally enhanced cultivars (with 50–100% increase in essential amino acids,
pro‐vitamin A and micronutrient content) and their adoption in target countries in sub‐Saharan Africa,
Asia and LA, will have significant nutritional benefits to at least 100,000 resource‐poor and malnourished
families by 2016, and 200,000 families by 2020 with regard to VA, and millions of consumers with regard
to QPM. This initiative would have potential impact in terms of disability adjusted life years and
enhancing the productivity of malnourished and resource‐poor maize‐based farming communities.
Other issues
Gender
In developing countries, women play major roles in maize production, storage, and processing and food
preparation. An opportunity often missed in strategies for improving under‐nutrition is the
incorporation of a gender perspective. Women are key actors responsible for both household nutrition
and household agriculture in terms of food crops in developing countries. Women’s abilities in this
regard are limited by the larger social construct of roles and responsibilities of women relative to men—
with a power balance that is usually tilted toward men. Gender inequality limits women’s ability to earn
or control income, acquire resources, and make decisions, which in turn limits their ability to ensure
household nutrition and production of nutritious food crops. Although extensive research and training
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