Malnutrition is a global problem and the number of people affected is extremely high. For instance, more than 2 billion people suffer a serious lack of vitamins and minerals, and more than 200 million children are stunted or wasted (Ruel et al., 2013). A large proportion of this population live in developing
countries where agriculture and allied activities are the main source of livelihood. The United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon launched the Zero Hunger Challenge in 2012 with the target for eliminating hunger, malnutrition and food insecurity. This has been absorbed in the Sustainable Development Goals
(SGD) agenda to be achieved by 2030. Food Security encompasses ‘Availability’, ‘Accessibility’ and ‘Utilization’ which includes ‘absorption’ and bioavailability of food making it inclusive of ‘Nutrition Security’ (Rainer et al., 2000). Increasing food production alone cannot address the issue of
malnutrition, unless there is a nutrition focus and the poorest have access to sources of diversified and nutritious foods. Beyond staple foods, a healthy diet means a diversified food basket containing balanced foods providing adequate amounts of energy, fat, protein and micronutrients. Agricultural interventions in the development paradigm need to be more nutrition-sensitive, with a greater focus on nutrient-dense foods
with high levels of bioavailability, i.e. the proportion of micronutrients capable of being absorbed by the body. The relationship between agricultural production, consumption patterns and nutritional outcomes are not direct but complex, distant and often weak (Alderman, 1987).

M. S. Swaminathan Research Foundation