ISLAMABAD: Women farmers in rural areas of Punjab and Sindh are spearheading a nutrition-focused agricultural shift by cultivating biofortified zincenriched wheat, improving both household health and financial stability.

This was stated at an interactive session held under the aegis of HarvestPlus, an international entity working to promote fortified crops.

`Through targeted interventions, we are improving the livelihoods and health outcomes of thousands of smallholder farming families,` said Nadeem Raza, Country Manager HarvestPlus Pakistan.

He attributed the success to the `Expanding Nutrients in Food Systems` project, supported by the government of Canada. After receiving training on its benefits, these women have integrated the nutrient-rich crop into their diets, addressing zine deficiencies and enhancing overall well-being, said officials in the ministry of food security.

Pakistan marked a significant milestone with a bumper harvest of nearly 15 million metric tonnes of zine-enriched wheat in the last cropping season, strengthening food security and fostering healthier communities.

Key to this achievement was the training and empowerment of women farmers, equipping them with the skills to adopt better farming practices. Over 4,730 smallholder farmers, including 3,135 women (66 per cent of the total) participated in training programmes organised by HarvestPlus across nine districts in the 2024-2025 cropping season. These initiatives covered modern farming techniques, seed procurement, crop manage-ment and loss prevention besides incorporating nutrition education.

For many women, this was the first opportunity to access the knowledge and resources necessary to boost their yields and improve their families` well-being.

`I first learned about zine-enriched wheat Barkat 2020 during a training session conducted in my village,` said Yasmeen, a farmer from Vehari district.

`After the training, I cultivated Barkat 2020 and achieved a yield of 2,400 kilogrammes per acre compared to 1,600 kilogrammes from conventional varieties.

This has not only increased my income but also ensured my family consumes more nutritious food daily.

Another farmer, Shazia Bibi from Lodhran, shared how subsidised seeds and training on zine-enriched wheat cultivation helped her achieve better yields and financial security.

`We now save seeds for the next season and share our knowledge with neighbours, encouraging them to grow zincenriched wheat,` she said.

The introduction of zine-enriched wheat is especially significant in tackling malnutrition. Zinc plays a crucial role in immune function, growth and development. Its deficiency, associated with stunted growth and higher susceptibility to infections, remains prevalent in Pakistan. Integrating biofortified crops into everyday diets can lead to substantial health improvements.

Empowering women in agriculture is an essential step toward reducing Pakistan`s gender gap as the country ranks 145th among 146 nations on the Global Gender Gap Index 2024.-Staff Reporter