„Hidden hunger"- a growing problem behind current numbers
This year “ZEF Prize” winner Alexander J. Stein investigates qualitative solutions for the world food problem in his doctoral thesis entitled “Micronutrient malnutrition and the impact of modern plant breeding on public health in India: How cost-effective is bio-fortification?”
Every seventh person worldwide suffers from hunger, which means from a direct shortage of food – a problem currently in the middle of global media attention due to rising food prices.
But besides from this more quantitative form of hunger, there is growing problem occurring at the back stage: the so called “hidden hunger”. At least one third of the world’s population – mainly women and children - suffers from a whole range of efficiency syndromes, causing not only diseases and early deaths, but also a lack of economic productivity mainly in the economies of developing countries.
Alexander J. Stein, a young Agro Economist from Germany did his doctoral research at ZEF on the issue of hidden hunger and investigated the chances of a relatively new although promising way to combat this urgent phenomenon: Biofortification. “Biofortification is a relatively simple, cheap but also sustainable way to help a large number of people within a short period of time”, explained Stein in his talk during the award ceremony at reduce the three most grave deficiency syndromes with 50% just by enriching essential staple foods. I hope that research such as mine will be noticed by decision makers and can thus contribute to combating and reducing the problem of hidden hunger”, Stein added in an interview.
The ZEF prize is awarded every two years by the “Friends of ZEF”, an association supporting ZEF’s research and outreach activities. The prize promotes and awards ZEF’s doctoral students’ excellence in research.
This year laudatory speech was held by Graf York of the "Friends of ZEF".
The doctoral thesis was published by Cuvillier Verlag in Göttingen (ISBN 3-86537-947-8).
