Ware House of Iron.

 According to UNICEF  79 per cent of the children in the country below three years of age suffer from anemia caused by iron deficiency. About 70 per cent of the children below five years of age are also affected by this problem.Over 30,000 farmers in the country have taken up cultivation of a new variety of pearl millet that is rich in iron. The variety was released for commercial use in Maharashtra last year.

Growers’ move to take up cultivation of the iron-rich pearl millet, marketed under the brand name According to UNICEF  79 per cent of the children in the country below three years of age suffer from anemia caused by iron deficiency. About 70 per cent of the children below five years of age are also affected by this problem.

 Over 30,000 farmers in the country have taken up cultivation of a new variety of pearl millet that is rich in iron. The variety was released for commercial use in Maharashtra last year.

Growers’ move to take up cultivation of the iron-rich pearl millet, marketed under the brand name Dhanashakti, is significant since they seem to have taken up the issue of iron deficiency leading to wide-spread anemia in the country.

In guidelines for control of anemia issued earlier this year, UNICEF said that India is one of the countries where there is high prevalence of anemia.

 Sixty per cent of women aged between 15 and 49 are anemic due to iron deficiency.

According to the Food Policy institute, a study published in the Journal of Nutrition showed that pearl millet, called kambu in Tamil and bajra in Hindi, bred containing more iron could provide young children with their daily iron needs.

According to Washington-based International Food Policy Research Institute, results from a study under the Harvest Plus Programme indicate that children could get their full daily iron needs from just 100 grams of flour derived from this pearl millet variety.

Pearl millet is an important staple food in semi-arid regions in the country, where iron deficiency is widespread.  Lack of iron affects mental development and increases fatigue. Severe anemia, due to iron deficiency, increases the risk of women dying during childbirth.

A study conducted among iron-deficient children showed that traditional food varieties such as up-puma and roti made from the new pearl millet variety helped them absorb more iron than from an ordinary millet variety. The additional zinc content also took care of the children’s daily zinc needs. Zinc shortage among children could lead to stunted growth and make them prone to common infections.

The research team was led by Michael Hambidge, Pediatrics Professor Emeritus at the University of Colorado in Denver. Hambridge said that the results of the study offer a potentially important, strategy to battle malnutrition.

On the Indian side, Bhalchandra Kodkany of Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College was the principal investigator.

The journal also said that a study conducted on marginally iron-deficient Beninese women found that they absorbed twice the amount of iron from this nutrition-tailored pearl millet.  is significant since they seem to have taken up the issue of iron deficiency leading to wide-spread anemia in the country.

In guidelines for control of anemia issued earlier this year, UNICEF said that India is one of the countries where there is high prevalence of anemia.

 Sixty per cent of women aged between 15 and 49 are anaemic due to iron deficiency.

According to the Food Policy institute, a study published in the Journal of Nutrition showed that pearl millet, called kambu in Tamil and bajra in Hindi, bred containing more iron could provide young children with their daily iron needs.

According to Washington-based International Food Policy Research Institute, results from a study under the HarvestPlus Programme indicate that children could get their full daily iron needs from just 100 grams of flour derived from this pearl millet variety.

Pearl millet is an important staple food in semi-arid regions in the country, where iron deficiency is widespread.  Lack of iron affects mental development and increases fatigue. Severe anemia, due to iron deficiency, increases the risk of women dying during childbirth.

A study conducted among iron-deficient children showed that traditional food varieties such as up-puma and roti made from the new pearl millet variety helped them absorb more iron than from an ordinary millet variety. The additional zinc content also took care of the children’s daily zinc needs. Zinc shortage among children could lead to stunted growth and make them prone to common infections.

The research team was led by Michael Hambidge, Pediatrics Professor Emeritus at the University of Colorado in Denver. Hambridge said that the results of the study offer a potentially important, strategy to battle malnutrition.

On the Indian side, Bhalchandra Kodkany of Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College was the principal investigator.

The journal also said that a study conducted on marginally iron-deficient Beninese women found that they absorbed twice the amount of iron from this nutrition-tailored pearl millet.

(This article was published in the Business Line print edition dated August 24, 2013)