By Desalegne Tadesse
A recent multi-year experiment, covering more than 600 locations across three major wheat belts in Ethiopia demonstrates that the combination of a zinc-efficient wheat genotype with specific/targeted fertilizer management practices can enhance both grain productivity and zinc concentration. This offers a promising pathway to tackle hidden hunger. For hundreds of millions of people who rely so heavily on cereals as their staple foods, having enough food does not necessarily mean getting enough nutrition. Micronutrient deficiencies, often referred to as hidden hunger, remain a major nutrition challenge, particularly where access to diverse, nutrient-rich foods is limited.
Among the nutrients linked to hidden hunger, zinc remains a major concern. Wheat provides a substantial share of daily calories for millions of people, yet conventional wheat varieties often contain relatively low levels of zinc in the grain to meet nutritional needs. Biofortification can help close this gap by increasing grain zinc concentration. In wheat, this can be achieved through breeding varieties that accumulate more zinc in the grain and through agronomic practices such as applying zinc fertilizer. Recent research under the CGIAR Sustainable Farming Program, conducted by CIMMYT and partners across multiple locations in three major wheat-growing areas (Arsi Zone, East Shewa, and North Shewa in Amhara), shows why these approaches are most powerful when considered together through the interaction of genotype, environment, and management (G×E×M).
The study examined three interconnected factors: the genetic characteristics of the wheat variety, the zinc status of the soil, and the way zinc fertilizer is applied. Using Bayesian modeling, researchers estimated the probability of achieving specific grain-yield and grain-zinc targets under different combinations of these factors. This approach moves beyond average treatment effects and helps identify which combinations are most likely to succeed under particular production conditions. The results show that no single biofortification strategy works equally well everywhere. The effectiveness of an intervention depends on how the variety, soil conditions and fertilizer management interact.
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