b'INTERNATIONAL AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENTIs a lack of dietary diversity the next challenge in the developing world?OFTEN,I think back to my time teaching agricultureAs seed specialists, we have varieties that are cham-at a secondary school in Samoa, a Pacific Island nationpions for our companies, and we use these as leading north East of Australia. When you would sit down forproducts to promote our brand. However, we should a meal, the adults would eat first followed by the chil- be thinking about the whole package rather than the dren. The adults would select the foods high in proteinindividual product. With the changeover from the public and leave the high carbohydrate foods to the childrensector to the private industry, the private sector has athe exact opposite of the children needed. A youngresponsibility to educate the consumer, so that products child needs protein to help with growth and devel- can be used in a more sustainable manner.opment whereas an adult has finished growing, and therefore, needs carbohydrates as an energy source.ANTHONY LEDDINThis example highlights the need for education on Inspired afterhuman nutrition when food aid projects are delivered reading Thein developing countries.Coming Famine,Recently, at a Crawford fund conference, I heard a this Australiantalk about the rise of obesity in Zimbabwe. How could plant breeder setthis be true? The root of the problem comes down to aThe private sector has a responsibility to out to make alack of diversity in the diet. difference. PlantThe story focused on children that would visit theireducate the consumer, so that products can be Breeders Withoutgrandmothers farm in Zimbabwe where they wouldused in a more sustainable manner. Borders encouragessee a range of diverse food crops grown. They loved plant breeders andthe different foods that she would make for them and students to volunteerthey were always happy and healthy. Eventually, the their time for inter- grandmothers farm was passed to one of her neph-national breedingews who had limited experience with farming. The projects. most profitable crop to grow for him was corn, so he planted the whole farm to corn. His family was fed corn for breakfast, lunch and dinner. This led to his children becoming obese and having poor health due to the Now, our generation needs to bring the healthy lack of diversity in their diet and an excess of calories. people, healthy planet message. Nearly 75% of the This story focused on two major factors, and theyworlds calories are supplied by four major crops: corn, both come down to nutrition: wheat, rice and soybean. Three of these are predomi- 1. Humans need a diverse diet to stay healthy.nately carbohydrates, and one a protein legume. In the 2. Farming land needs a diversity of plants grownroulette wheel of climate change, it seems like a big on it in rotation or at the same time to help remaingamble to place all your chips on four numbers and healthy as well as the plants that grow on it. hope for the big win to increase food production by Another downside of lack of diversity on the farm70% to feed the worlds population by 2050. goes back to the farmer in Zimbabwe who grew cornTo find solutions, we must share knowledge with the after corn crop. He found over time that his corn cropconsumer so they better understand the link between started yielding less and the crops had more diseases.their food, their farm and their nutrition. It is our moral No one told him that corn required high amountsresponsibility to educate farmers in the developing of fertilizer that he couldnt afford to buy, and plantworld how to lead healthier lives through the food that disease would increase each year if there was no cropthey eat, so that they are able to pass on knowledge rotation to break the disease growth cycle. and wisdom to the next generation. SW58/ SEEDWORLD.COMOCTOBER 2019'