Paradoxically, Biharipur may not need much outside help. With its fertile soil, it should be possible to grow tomatoes, carrots and green leafy vegetables for vitamins and minerals. Indeed, their action, which has ignited a furious debate among academics, has taken the battle against hidden hunger to the core of development. So far, donors have leaned toward technology. We think as scientists, technicians and doctors we have the solutions.
People trying to survive have a different point of view.
Biharipur's daily diet consists of beans, rice, potatoes and onions - adequate foods for protein but not for vitamins and minerals. The better- off families have green leafy vegetables once a week. Tomatoes reach the village maybe once a month. And most of the milk production is sold to another town nearby. Across Asia and Africa, such diets have created profound micronutrient deficiencies.