RANGPUR, Jan 29, 2025 (BSS) - Experts at a regional workshop have stressed the need to develop and popularise more biofortified crop varieties to reduce zinc deficiency in malnourished populations and strengthen their immune systems.

They emphasize ensuring nutritional security by increasing the production, marketing, and consumption of biofortified crops, their inclusion in programmes like VGD and VGF, and government and private policies to reach the malnourished population.

The Expanding Nutrients in Food Systems (ENFS) project of HarvestPlus Programme of International Food Policy Research Institute organised the event on Tuesday at the office of the Additional Director of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), Rangpur region, with the participation of policymakers and stakeholders.

The ENFS project, funded by the Government of Canada, is being implemented by the non-governmental organizations RDRS, Nazir and Nutritious Agriculture Bangladesh Limited in Lalmonirhat, Rangpur, Nilphamari and Dinajpur districts.

 HarvestPlus is working on the expansion and adaptation of zinc rice, zinc wheat and zinc and iron lentils in Bangladesh.
 
Implementation of the project aims at improving the nutritional security and livelihoods of women, adolescent girls and children under five years of age.

 Harvest Plus works to improve nutrition and public health by developing and promoting biofortified food crops enriched with vitamins and minerals and providing global leadership on bio-fortification evidence and technology.

 Additional Director of the DAE's Rangpur region Md Obaidur Rahman Mondol and Additional Director of its Dinajpur region Md Hamidur Rahman attended the opening and technical sessions as chief guests respectively.
    
 Country of HarvestPlus Bangladesh Md Wahidul Amin welcomed the guests.

 In the technical session, Coordinator Seed Systems and Marketing of HarvestPlus Bangladesh Md Mozibar Rahman delivered a keynote speech titled 'Role of biofortified food for nutrition and health' in the workshop.

 The participants took part in the open discussion on 'Potential inclusion of biofortified crops in the local level government programmes' and forwarded suggestions for increasing cultivation, production, marketing and consumption of biofortified crops.

 Principal of Rangpur Agriculture Training Institute Md Belal Uddin, Deputy Civil Surgeon of Rangpur Dr Md Ruhul Amin and Country of HarvestPlus Bangladesh Md Wahidul Amin addressed the technical session as special guests.
 
Agriculturist Obaidur Rahman Mondol stressed increasing cultivation and inclusion of bio-fortified zinc rice like BRRI dhan74, BRRI dhan100 and BRRI dhan102, in various programmes to reduce zinc deficiency in malnourished populations.