It is predicted that the amount of food produced today should be increased by 50-70% in the 2050s due to reasons such as population growth, global warming, and increasing welfare levels. In addition, some changes seem inevitable in terms of the content of the main nutrients we will consume. Problems such as malnutrition, malnutrition, micronutrient deficiency, and overweight-obesity affect almost all humanity. This situation, which we will define as malnutrition, has an unpredictable economic and social cost. According to the latest estimates by FAO, 12.5 percent of the world’s population (868 million people) is malnourished[1]. Again, 26 percent of the world’s children have growth retardation, and 2 billion people suffer from one or more micronutrient deficiencies. On the other hand, 1.4 billion people are overweight, of which 500 million are obese. All these nutritional disorders, in more than one form, can be encountered in almost every country (Table).
| Child Growth Retardation % | Anemia (Fe Deficit) % | Vitamin A Deficit % | Iodine Deficit % | Obesity % | |
| World | 21 | 48 | 30 | 30 | 12 |
| Germany | 1 | 8 | 0 | 27 | 21 |
| India | 48 | 74 | 62 | 31 | 2 |
| Türkiye | 12 | 333 | 12 | 61 | 29 |
Beyond the social cost of malnutrition, there is a financial cost of US$3.5 trillion (US$500 per person), which is 5% of the annual world GDP, with decreases in productivity, productivity, and treatment expenditures. Although the full breakdown of the amount in question has not been made, the cost of obesity to the world, together with the risk factors, was estimated at 1.4 trillion US$ in 2010.
The situation is alarming for our country as well. As can be seen from Table 1, growth retardation was observed in 12% of our children, anemia in 33%, vitamin A deficiency in 12%, and iodine deficiency in 61% of our children. In addition, 29% of our adults are obese. It is a fact that we are quite different from the world average, Germany and India figures listed in the chart in terms of iodine deficiency and obesity.
In cases such as zinc, iron, iodine, and vitamin deficiencies, the possibility of preventing some diseases by enriching them in foods was questioned by the World Health Organization, and Food, and Agriculture organizations, and a task was given to CGIAR (Consultative Group for International Agricultural Research). Indeed, zinc, iodine, iron, and vitamin A enrichment projects have been initiated, in which deficiencies are observed with genetic interventions (plant breeding!) in widely consumed products such as wheat, corn, and rice. Thus, without the need for an industrial process and labor, that is, with the direct use of natural medicines, the cost will be zero.
With the introduction of this intermediate biotechnology, it would be appropriate to mention a protease inhibitor aprotinin, which is obtained from transgenic corn and can be taken orally against the HIV virus that causes AIDS, and a protease inhibitor used to control bleeding, which is also found in the same way.
With the “HarvestPlus Challenge” project initiated in the 2000s, CGIAR[2] carried out gene transfer studies that will provide the deficiency of the vitamin or mineral to the plants by using classical breeding methods, and developed many new varieties listed below, suitable for the purpose, and delivered them to the world farmer and therefore to the consumer. These varieties are given below. It is expected that the project continues and many more new health-related varieties are expected to come.
77 types of beans with increased iron content;
11 types of gin millet with increased iron content;
18 kinds of bananas with increased vitamin A;
69 kinds of vitamin A enriched corn;
11 types of zinc-enriched corn;
16 types of zinc-enriched rice;
11 zinc enriched wheat.
In addition, the transgenic rice developed by using biotechnology and enriched with vitamin A was registered in 2021 and offered for the use of Filipino farmers. Gene-edited tomatoes whit vitamin D is underway with a sustainable solution to these global health issues[3].
Nazimi Açıkgöz
[1] http://www.harvestplus.org/sites/default/files/HarvestPlus%20Annual%20Report%202012%20Web.pdf,
[2] https://www.harvestplus.org/home/global-reach/
[3] https://european-seed.com/2022/05/are-gene-edited-tomatoes-a-new-source-for-vitamin-d/
NO CHANCE TO FOOD CRISIS 