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Economics of biofortification

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  • Matin Qaim
  • Alexander J. Stein
  • J. V. Meenakshi

Abstract

Micronutrient malnutrition is a serious public health problem in many developing countries. Different interventions are currently used, but their overall coverage is relatively limited. Biofortification—that is, breeding staple food crops for higher micronutrient contents—is a new agriculture‐based approach, but relatively little is known about its ramifications. Here, the main factors influencing success are discussed and a methodology for economic impact assessment is presented. Ex ante studies from India and other countries suggest that biofortified crops can reduce the problem of micronutrient malnutrition in a cost‐effective way, when targeted to specific situations. Further research is needed to corroborate these findings and address certain issues still unresolved.

Suggested Citation

  • Matin Qaim & Alexander J. Stein & J. V. Meenakshi, 2007. "Economics of biofortification," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 37(s1), pages 119-133, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:agecon:v:37:y:2007:i:s1:p:119-133
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1574-0862.2007.00239.x
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    1. Dipa Sharma & Prakriti Ghimire & Shweta Bhattarai & Upama Adhikari, 2020. "Biofortification Of Wheat: Genetic A Nd Agronomic Approaches And Strategies To Combat Iron And Zinc Deficiency," Sustainability in Food and Agriculture (SFNA), Zibeline International Publishing, vol. 1(1), pages 48-54, August.
    2. Asare-Marfo, Dorene & Birol, Ekin & Gonzalez, Carolina & Moursi, Mourad & Perez, Salomon & Schwarz, Jana & Zeller, Manfred, 2013. "Prioritizing countries for biofortification Interventions using country-level data," HarvestPlus working papers 11, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    3. Nguema, Abigail & Norton, George W. & Fregene, Martin & Sayre, Richard & Manary, Mark, 2011. "Expected economic benefits of meeting nutritional needs through biofortified cassava in Nigeria and Kenya," African Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, African Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 6(1), pages 1-17, March.
    4. Horton, Sue & Wesley, Annie & Venkatesh Mannar, M.G., 2011. "Double-fortified salt reduces anemia, benefit:cost ratio is modestly favorable," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 36(5), pages 581-587, October.
    5. Nirmala, B. & Babu, V.R. & Neeraja, C.N. & Waris, A. & Muthuraman, P. & Rao, D.S., 2016. "Linking Agriculture and Nutrition: An Ex-ante Analysis of Zinc Biofortification of Rice in India," Agricultural Economics Research Review, Agricultural Economics Research Association (India), vol. 29(Conferenc).
    6. Gunaratna, Nilupa S. & Groote, Hugo De & Nestel, Penelope & Pixley, Kevin V. & McCabe, George P., 2010. "A meta-analysis of community-based studies on quality protein maize," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 35(3), pages 202-210, June.
    7. de Haen, Hartwig & Klasen, Stephan & Qaim, Matin, 2011. "What do we really know? Metrics for food insecurity and undernutrition," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 36(6), pages 760-769.
    8. Qaim, Matin, 2014. "Evaluating nutrition and health impacts of agricultural innovations," GlobalFood Discussion Papers 185785, Georg-August-Universitaet Goettingen, GlobalFood, Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development.
    9. Ecker, Olivier & Qaim, Matin, 2011. "Analyzing Nutritional Impacts of Policies: An Empirical Study for Malawi," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 39(3), pages 412-428, March.
    10. Etumnu, Chinonso, 2016. "Behavioral Determinants of Biofortified Food Acceptance: The Case of Orange-fleshed Sweet Potato in Ghana," 2016 Annual Meeting, July 31-August 2, Boston, Massachusetts 235249, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    11. Mousumi Das & Ajay Sharma & Suresh Chandra Babu, 2018. "Pathways from agriculture-to-nutrition in India: implications for sustainable development goals," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 10(6), pages 1561-1576, December.
    12. Gonzalez, Carolina & Perez Suarez, Salomon & Cardoso, Carlos Estevao Leite & Andrade, Robert S. & Johnson, Nancy L., 2012. "Analysis of Diffusion Strategies in Northeast Brazil for New Cassava Varieties With Inproved Nutritional Quality," 2012 Conference, August 18-24, 2012, Foz do Iguacu, Brazil 126695, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    13. Meenakshi, J.V. & Johnson, Nancy L. & Manyong, Victor M. & DeGroote, Hugo & Javelosa, Josyline & Yanggen, David R. & Naher, Firdousi & Gonzalez, Carolina & García, James & Meng, Erika, 2010. "How Cost-Effective is Biofortification in Combating Micronutrient Malnutrition? An Ex ante Assessment," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 38(1), pages 64-75, January.
    14. repec:ags:aaea22:335948 is not listed on IDEAS
    15. Ecker, Olivier & Qaim, Matin, 2008. "Income and Price Elasticities of Food Demand and Nutrient Consumption in Malawi," 2008 Annual Meeting, July 27-29, 2008, Orlando, Florida 6349, American Agricultural Economics Association (New Name 2008: Agricultural and Applied Economics Association).
    16. Konstantinos Giannakas & Amalia Yiannaka, 2018. "Doing well by doing good: agricultural biotechnology in the fight against hunger," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 49(6), pages 725-739, November.
    17. Banerji, Abhijit & Birol, Ekin & Karandikar, Bhushana & Rampal, Jeevant, 2016. "Information, branding, certification, and consumer willingness to pay for high-iron pearl millet: Evidence from experimental auctions in Maharashtra, India," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 133-141.
    18. Hans D. Steur & Jeroen Buysse & Shuyi Feng & Xavier Gellynck, 2013. "Role of Information on Consumers’ Willingness-to-pay for Genetically-modified Rice with Health Benefits: An Application to China," Asian Economic Journal, East Asian Economic Association, vol. 27(4), pages 391-408, December.
    19. Carolina González & Nancy Johnson & Matin Qaim, 2009. "Consumer Acceptance of Second‐Generation GM Foods: The Case of Biofortified Cassava in the North‐east of Brazil," Journal of Agricultural Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 60(3), pages 604-624, September.

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    JEL classification:

    • I1 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health
    • I3 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty
    • O1 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development
    • O3 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights
    • Q1 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Agriculture

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