Abstract
Abstract Background Dietary zinc (Zn) deficiency is widespread in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) with adverse impacts on human health. Agronomic biofortification with Zn fertilizers and improved soil fertility management, using mineral and organic nutrient resources, has previously been shown to increase Zn concentration of staple grain crops, including maize. Here, we show the potential of different soil fertility management options on maize crops to reduce dietary Zn deficiency in Zimbabwe using secondary data from a set of surveys and field experiments. Methods An ex-ante approach was used, informed by published evidence from studies in three contrasting smallholder production systems in Zimbabwe. To estimate current Zn deficiency in Zimbabwe, data on dietary Zn supply from non-maize sources from the Global Expanded Nutrient Supply (GENuS) data set were linked to maize grain Zn composition observed under typical current soil fertility management scenarios. Results A baseline dietary Zn deficiency prevalence of 68% was estimated from a reference maize grain Zn composition value of 16.6 mg kg −1 and an estimated dietary Zn intake of 9.3 mg capita −1 day −1 from all food sources. The potential health benefits of reducing Zn deficiency using different soil fertility management scenarios were quantified within a Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALYs) framework. A scenario using optimal mineral NPK fertilizers and locally available organic nutrient resources (i.e. cattle manure and woodland leaf litter), but without additional soil Zn fertilizer applications, is estimated to increase maize grain Zn concentration to 19.3 mg kg −1 . This would reduce the estimated prevalence of dietary Zn deficiency to 55%, potentially saving 2238 DALYs year −1 . Universal adoption of optimal fertilizers, to include soil Zn applications and locally available organic leaf litter, is estimated to increase maize grain Zn concentration to 32.4 mg kg −1 and reduce dietary Zn deficiency to 16.7%, potentially saving 9119 DALYs year −1 . Potential monetized yield gains from adopting improved soil fertility management range from 49- to 158-fold larger than the potential reduction in DALYs, if the latter are monetized using standard methods. Conclusion Farmers should be incentivized to adopt improved soil fertility management to improve both crop yield and quality.
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Claims 5
Claim · model-written summary
Baseline dietary zinc deficiency was estimated at 68% using maize grain zinc of 16.6 mg kg −1.
Zea maysOrganisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“A baseline dietary Zn deficiency prevalence of 68% was estimated from a reference maize grain Zn composition value of 16.6 mg kg −1 and an estimated dietary Zn intake of 9.3 mg capita −1 day −1 from all food sources.”
Claim · model-written summary
Optimal NPK and organic resources without zinc fertilizer were estimated to raise maize grain zinc to 19.3 mg kg −1.
- Treatment
- optimal mineral NPK fertilizers and locally available organic nutrient resourcese0
- Outcome
- maize grain Zn concentratione0
- Direction
- increasee0
- Value
- 19.3 mg kg −1e0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“A scenario using optimal mineral NPK fertilizers and locally available organic nutrient resources (i.e. cattle manure and woodland leaf litter), but without additional soil Zn fertilizer applications, is estimated to increase maize grain Zn concentration to 19.3 mg kg −1 .”
Claim · model-written summary
Universal optimal fertilizers including soil zinc and leaf litter were estimated to raise maize grain zinc to 32.4 mg kg −1.
- Treatment
- optimal fertilizers, to include soil Zn applications and locally available organic leaf littere0
- Outcome
- maize grain Zn concentratione0
- Direction
- increasee0
- Value
- 32.4 mg kg −1e0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Universal adoption of optimal fertilizers, to include soil Zn applications and locally available organic leaf litter, is estimated to increase maize grain Zn concentration to 32.4 mg kg −1”
Claim · model-written summary
Improved fertility management was estimated to yield monetized gains 49- to 158-fold larger than monetized DALY reductions.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Potential monetized yield gains from adopting improved soil fertility management range from 49- to 158-fold larger than the potential reduction in DALYs”
t0“maize crops”
Claim · model-written summary
Farmers should be incentivized to adopt improved soil fertility management for crop yield and quality.
- Outcome
- adopt improved soil fertility managemente0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Farmers should be incentivized to adopt improved soil fertility management to improve both crop yield and quality.”
t0“maize crops”
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