The nutritional quality of cereals varies geospatially in Ethiopia and Malawi.

ABSTRACT: Micronutrient deficiencies (MNDs) remain widespread among people in sub-Saharan Africa^1-5, where access to sufficient food from plant and animal sources that is rich in micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) is limited due to socioeconomic and geographical reasons^4-6. Here we report the micronutrient composition (calcium, iron, selenium and zinc) of staple cereal grains for most of the cereal production areas in Ethiopia and Malawi. We show that there is geospatial variation in the composition of micronutrients that is nutritionally important at subnational scales. Soil and environmental covariates of grain micronutrient concentrations included soil pH, soil organic matter, temperature, rainfall and topography, which were specific to micronutrient and crop type. For r

SUBMITTER: Gashu D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8172382 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature