‘60% of non-pregnant women aged 15-49 suffer from iron, zinc deficiencies’

According to the Lancet Global Health, 69 percent of non-pregnant women aged 15 to 49 years suffer from deficiencies in iron, zinc, or folate which underscores the urgent need for sustainable nutrition-focused interventions, Muadi Mukenge, an International Development Expert and Women Rights Leader has said. She spoke at a groundbreaking webinar on “Climate and Nutrition: […]

According to the Lancet Global Health, 69 percent of non-pregnant women aged 15 to 49 years suffer from deficiencies in iron, zinc, or folate which underscores the urgent need for sustainable nutrition-focused interventions, Muadi Mukenge, an International Development Expert and Women Rights Leader has said.

She spoke at a groundbreaking webinar on “Climate and Nutrition: Smart Interventions that Involve Women and Girls as Agents of Change” hosted by HarvestPlus as part of efforts to transform food systems and tackle hidden hunger.

She emphasized on the need for harnessing the power of women in agriculture saying, “Women are not just beneficiaries of food system interventions, they are critical agents of change.”

She highlighted HarvestPlus’ long-standing work in developing biofortified staple crops that are climate-resilient and nutritionally enriched, ensuring that smallholder farmers, especially women, have access to healthier food options.

Maggie Biruri, Head of Partnerships and Resource Mobilization at HarvestPlus, traced the journey of biofortification, an innovation that has revolutionized agriculture by increasing the micronutrient content of staple foods.

She disclosed that present, there are over 450 biofortified crop varieties, reaching more than 330 million people worldwide.

Also, Dr. Azra Adibaba, a public health specialist with World Vision Canada called for the integration of biofortification into maternal and child nutrition programs, reinforcing that health systems must prioritize gender-inclusive approaches to combat hidden hunger effectively.

Rewa Misra, Head of National Policy and Innovative Financing at HarvestPlus, highlighted the role of governments and financial institutions in scaling up biofortification. “Investing in women-led agribusinesses is not just a social responsibility, it’s smart economics,” she said.

She then urged policymakers to ensure that women farmers have equal access to credit, land, and market opportunities.

The event brought together experts, policymakers, and grassroots advocates to explore how women can drive solutions to malnutrition and food insecurity through biofortification and climate-smart agriculture.