Madhuban Gajar: Biofortified Variety | 09 Apr 2020

Madhuban Gajar, a biofortified carrot variety, is benefitting more than 150 local farmers in Junagadh, Gujarat.

It is being planted in an area of over 200 hectares in Junagadh, and the average yield, which is 40-50 tonne/hectare (t/ha), has become the main source of income to the local farmers.
It is used for various value-added products like carrot chips, juices, and pickles.

Biofortified Variety: The Madhuvan Gajar is a highly nutritious carrot variety developed through the selection method with higher β-carotene content (277.75 mg/kg, source of Vitamin A) and iron content (276.7 mg/kg).
Developed By: Shri Vallabhhai Vasrambhai Marvaniya, a farmer scientist from Junagadh district, Gujarat.
- He was conferred with a National Award by the President of India at Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi during Festival of Innovation (FOIN)–2017.
- He was also conferred with Padma Shri in the year 2019 for his extraordinary work.
Tested By: National Innovation Foundation (NIF) – India, an autonomous institute under the Department of Science and Technology during 2016-17. It was found that the Madhuban Gajar carrot variety possesses a significantly higher root yield (74.2 t/ha) and plant biomass (275 gm per plant).
Areas of Cultivation: The variety is being cultivated in more than 1000 hectares of land in Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh.

Biofortification

Fortification is the practice of deliberately increasing the content of an essential micronutrient, i.e. vitamins and minerals in a food, so as to improve the nutritional quality of the food supply and provide a public health benefit with minimal risk to health.
Biofortification is the process by which the nutritional quality of food crops is improved through agronomic practices, conventional plant breeding, or modern biotechnology.
Biofortification differs from conventional fortification in that biofortification aims to increase nutrient levels in crops during plant growth rather than through manual means during processing of the crops.
Increased nutritional quantity through biofortification will further support India's National Nutrition Mission.
- Indian government launched the National Nutrition Mission (renamed as Poshan Abhiyaan) in March 2018.
- The National Nutrition Mission is backed by a National Nutrition Strategy prepared by the NITI Aayog with the goal of attaining “Kuposhan Mukt Bharat" or malnutrition-free India, by 2022.

Festival of Innovation

The Festival of Innovation & Entrepreneurship (FINE) {previously known as Festival of Innovation FOIN)} is a unique initiative of the Office of the President of India to recognise, respect and reward grassroots innovations and foster a supportive ecosystem.
Hosted in the month of March at the President's House, the FINE has become a national celebration of creativity and innovation at and for the grassroots.