Self-Help is improving the nutritive content of rice in rural areas of Nicaragua by fortifying rice with added iron and zinc. Zinc boosts immunity, brain function, and energy. Iron is an essential mineral that gives the human body the material it needs to form new blood cells, one of the body’s most important processes in growth and maintenance. Self-Help expects their INTA-L9 rice to improve the health of Nicaraguans who use rice as a dietary staple.
INTA-L9 is engineered to be resilient, high-yield, and adaptable to grow in various Nicaraguan farmlands. They distribute 4 pounds of INTA-L9 each to local farmers. They will grow it for their own family’s consumption, reselling at local markets, and for future cultivation.
Self-Help has already enjoyed some previous success promoting biofortified foods in Nicaragua. In addition to INTA-L9 rice, their catalog includes biofortified corn and beans.
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Biofortified rice is now promoted in Nicaragua thanks to Self-Help | Agriculture | wvnews.com
