These Rice Varieties Could End Hidden Hunger – Meet the Uttar Pradesh Farmers Making It Happen

by Anirban Nath, Sarvesh Shukla, Neeraj Kumar Tyagi, Swati Nayak, Mosharaf Hossain

Farmers in Uttar Pradesh are driving the adoption of biofortified rice, improving nutrition and incomes through Seeds Without Borders. With better seeds, training, and market access, success stories like Durgawati Devi and Rajesh Singh show how a community-led approach can transform lives.

Tackling Hidden Hunger with Nutritious Rice

Micronutrient deficiencies, often called “hidden hunger,” are a silent crisis affecting millions in India, particularly women and children. In severe cases, they lead to low birth weight, anemia, weakened immunity, and even neonatal mortality. Moreover, according to the National Family Health Survey (NFHS)-5 (2021), 7.3% of children under five suffer from diarrhea, a condition linked to zinc deficiency.

Given that over half India’s population relies on rice as a staple food, making rice more nutritious through biofortification is a powerful and cost-effective solution. Despite the availability of biofortified rice varieties with higher iron (>10 mg/kg) and zinc (>24 mg/kg), farmers have been slow to adopt them. Limited awareness, poor seed distribution, and weak engagement with seed dealers and millers contributed to the challenge.

To change this, targeted efforts are underway to get biofortified rice into the hands of farmers—starting with better seed access, training programs, and stronger policy integration into India’s food systems.