Dear Friends,
As a global program, we are witnessing the impact of the coronavirus pandemic and efforts to mitigate it in every country and region where we work. The health and safety of our staff, their families, our beneficiaries, and our many partners has always been our priority, and in the current situation, we are taking all measures possible to keep everyone out of harm’s way.
HarvestPlus staff are also innovating ways to continue to support our program’s primary beneficiaries: the many millions of smallholder farming families who grow biofortified crops, benefit from the essential micronutrients these crops provide, and rely on these crops to contribute to their livelihoods.
In this respect, we are coordinating closely with the broad alliance of biofortification partners—including CGIAR and national agricultural research centers, businesses in seed and food value chains, nonprofit organizations, and government authorities—to reduce disruptions in the delivery of critical supplies, products, and information to those who need them most.
It is also worth noting the important role of micronutrients—particularly zinc and vitamin A—to immune response against viral and bacterial infections, which cause millions of premature and preventable deaths in low- and middle-income countries around the world every year. The current outbreak redoubles our commitment to making micronutrient-rich staple crops widely available to the most vulnerable populations, particularly those who do not have access to supplementation and industrial fortification.
Please feel free to contact us with any questions you may have about our activities during this challenging period. Our email: [email protected].
Sincerely,
Arun Baral
CEO, HarvestPlus