Written by Paul Bettings.
Vincent is a successful farmer who is well known in his Kenyan community. He owns several fields and sells his crops in the market. Vincent loves learning new techniques to help improve his business, so he was quick to take advantage of ENRICH’s model farming initiative.
He received training along with seeds for sweet potatoes and iron rich beans (naturally enhanced through plant breeding techniques). He’s been happy to find that the nutrient-rich potatoes have a shorter growing season and make for a less laborious harvest. They’re also healthier, don’t require as much expensive oil when cooking and are heavier in the stomach so they keep his family well fed.
Vincent returning home from his field in Kenya with his wife and daughter. Photo: Paul Bettings
Ideally, everyone would have access to a mix of fruit, vegetables and protein necessary for a healthy diet. Unfortunately, in many vulnerable communities worldwide, most people still cannot afford nourishing food. In Vincent’s region of East Africa, drought can sometimes pose an even greater challenge to growing and sustaining crops.
However, biofortification has empowered more farmers like Vincent to grow nutrient-rich, drought-resistant and more cost-effective crops. For vulnerable communities, this is a lifesaver.
That is one of the reasons the ENRICH: 1,000 Day Journey project has partnered with Harvest Plus International to help provide biofortified seeds rich in vitamins and minerals to farmers in communities at no cost to the farmers. It’s a program that has a positive impact far beyond a freshly planted field: when farmers like Vincent produce healthier, nutritious crops, their children experience a brighter future and good health.