Geonutrition

How can we increase our understanding of soil types and growing conditions to ensure appropriate levels of nutritional qualities in our food?

Lead researcher: Professor Martin Broadley

There are many conditions that can influence the nutritional value of fruit, vegetables and cereal crops. One such factor is the soil, and the micronutrients within it. This project aims to inform strategies to alleviate micronutrient deficiencies, also known as 'hidden hunger'.

By mapping crop and soil samples from some 2,000 farms primarily in Ethiopia and Malawi, we will identify nutrient deficiencies in the soil, which then impact the crops grown. Using natural science methods, the project can interrogate large-scale soil, agricultural, and landscape datasets to understand how micronutrients are/are not taken up by crops and then fed into food systems. And through social science, we will explore how specific processes influence health and economic outcomes through nutrition pathways.