A study of value chain analysis of zinc enriched rice based on RDRS in

Rangpure

Introduction
There are many Bangladeshi people depend on rice for majority of their vitamins and minerals requirement. But rice
does not contain enough micronutrients required to lead healthy productive lives. Zinc, iron and vitamin-A which
are the three most vital micronutrients for healthy productive lives, deficiency of these micronutrients seriously
hampers natural growth of the children and decrease their disease prevention capacity. In Bangladesh, over 40
percent children under five are stunted while an estimated 44 percent children of the same age group are at risk of
zinc deficiency. RDRS Agriculture & Environment Program works for the rural ultra-poor, poor and marginal farm
households to build their awareness and skills through Farmers Field School (FFS) which is implemented by
Farmers Forum of Union Federation to combat food insecurity and to promote climate change adaptation and
mitigation and access to Govt. services and resources to improve their livelihoods of people living on the mainland,
island and in disaster prone areas. RDRS has various types of activities in relation to food security and climate
change and mostly are related to rice as rice is the main crop in the northwest Bangladesh. Zinc enrich rice is a
potential alternative to address micronutrient malnutrition. Benefit of Bio fortified rice with high Zinc content
essential for functioning of more than 200 enzyme systems for normal growth and development, maintenance of
body tissues, sexual function, vision and immune system. Zinc deficiency causes stunting and also it increases risk
of morbidity from a number of common childhood infections, including diarrhea, pneumonia and malaria.
Cultivation and consumption of high zinc rice can overcome zinc deficiency of the children in building a healthy
nation. In that connection, RDRS has been implementing Harvest Plus program for promoting Zn rice variety which
can supplement Zn in daily diet of resource for the poor and vulnerable farmers in northwest region of Bangladesh.
The Harvest Plus program is coordinated by the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) and the
International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) where RDRS Bangladesh is working as local partner. Zinc
deficiency causes stunting and also it increases risk of morbidity from a number of common childhood infections,
including diarrhea, pneumonia and malaria. Cultivation and consumption of high zinc rice can overcome zinc
deficiency of the children in building a healthy nation. In that connection, RDRS has been implementing Harvest
Plus program for promoting Zn rice variety which can supplement Zn in daily diet of resource for the poor and
vulnerable farmers in northwest region of Bangladesh. The Harvest Plus program is coordinated by the International
Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) and the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) where RDRS
Bangladesh is working as local partner.