SCN Food & Nutrition Resource Portal
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HarvestPlus

Published in : 2009

Available in : English

Millions of Africans suffer from iron deficiency and iron deficiency anemia. During infancy, childhood, and adolescence, this deficiency impairs physical growth and endurance, mental development, and learning capacity. For more than 300 million people, beans are an important part of the diet, especially in regions of Africa and Meso- and South America. The common bean is, in fact, the world’s most important food legume, and widely eaten in Africa where it can be a highly productive crop. Beans that are bred to be high in iron can contribute to a reduction in iron deficiency in regions of Africa where daily bean consumption is high.