Project Title: Measuring environmental impacts & quality assurance of biofortified crops for improved human health
Research Goal: The research goal of the MScCCAFS Research Project is to measure environmental impacts & quality assurance of GAIN’s activities on biofortified crops for improved human health in Tanzania.
Research Objectives / Workpackages
- To conduct a life-cycle analysis of the environmental footprint of biofortified crops (focusing on high iron beans (HIB) and provitamin A (PVA) maize) in Tanzania. a)Map the value chain for biofortified crops (HIB and PVA maize). This includes the production; aggregation; processing; packaging; purchase/distribution; preparation and consumption; and finally, waste disposal. Briefly review progress, potential and barriers for out scaling of biofortified crops (PVA maize & high iron beans) production and consumption in Tanzania, Rwanda and Kenya, relative to planted areas, material flows and consumption of non-biofortified counterparts (literature review). b)Assess the relative resource footprint (including greenhouse gases) of biofortified crops (HIB and PVA maize) along the biofortification value chain. (literature review). Collate all the data necessary (along the supply/value chain) for a life-cycle analysis of the environmental footprint of biofortified crops (PVA maize & high iron beans) in Tanzania. (This will involve attributional LCA research, including conducting surveys and collating data to allow Sankey diagrams (and mass balance Tables) to be constructed to visualise materials flows and resource footprints to be calculated by LCA.)
- To determine good practices for ensuring quality of biofortified foods (i.e. affecting levels of bioavailable iron in HIB and bioavailable vitamin A in PVA maize) along the value chain from producer to consumer to mitigate risks of losses or lack of micronutrients to ensure nutrient delivery to end consumers (literature review)