Accra:According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the nutritional quality of food crops is declining globally, posing a significant threat to public health in Bangladesh and worldwide. This issue, known as "hidden hunger," affects millions who consume enough calories but lack essential nutrients like zinc, iron, and protein.
A global research report titled "Hollow Harvests Rebuilding the nutritional value of crops in an age of abundant calories," published by Deep Science Ventures and the Marc Leonard Trust, highlights how modern agricultural practices and climate change have reduced the micronutrient content in staple crops by 20 to 50 percent. This has led to widespread invisible malnutrition, requiring urgent attention from public health policymakers.
Research from Leiden University supports these findings, noting that increased atmospheric carbon dioxide levels contribute to nutrient loss in crops. Specifically, it accelerates carbohydrate accumulation while reducing vital nutrients by an average of 3.2 percent. This phenomenon is particularly concerning for crops like chickpeas, where zinc levels have decreased by up to 37.5 percent.
In Bangladesh, the situation is dire, with surveys indicating that 44 percent of children and 57 percent of adult women face severe zinc deficiencies. This is largely due to the low nutrient density of high-yielding rice varieties and a lack of dietary diversity. The Soil Resource Development Institute reports that 76.2 percent of Bangladesh's cultivable land suffers from nutrient depletion, further exacerbating the problem.
Efforts to address the crisis include the Bangladesh Rice Research Institute's development of biofortified zinc rice varieties. However, consumer preferences for polished rice diminish the benefits of these innovations. Experts are calling for significant changes in agricultural policies to prioritize nutrient density over yield and encourage sustainable farming practices.