ZIRON Pulse: Upscaling adoption and exploitation of a wide diversity of Iron and Zinc-rich beans by rural populations in Africa In their report "The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World" (2017) the United Nations state that "The number of undernourished people in the world has been on the rise since 2014, reaching an estimated 821 million in 2017".  Increases in population, the impacts of climate change long-term effects and extreme events, finite land and diminishing resources all point to the need for a step change if we are to deliver safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life. The sustainable production of future crops has to be accomplished with decreased utilization of essential resources, particularly nitrogen fertilizers.   Grain legumes (pulses), such as common bean, provide an unparalleled solution to this problem because of their inherent capacity for symbiosis with bacteria that can fix atmospheric nitrogen, which minimizes the need for nitrogen fertilization. Grain legumes have a higher nutritional value and the amino acid composition than cereals. Improvement (biofortification) of the contents of micronutrients particularly iron and zinc in common bean is a feasible strategy to solve the problem of micronutrient deficiencies that are more widespread in developing countries. Micronutrient deficiencies are often referred to as 'hidden hunger' because the problem is often not obvious but, when considerable, leads to irreversible damage. While supplementation is effective for easy-to-reach groups and relatively low cost, this strategy often misses the hard-to-reach vulnerable groups such as the rural and urban poor.   Focussing on the development of iron and zinc rich beans, this project is founded on a long-established bean biofortification breeding program in Kenya that is in the process of developing new varieties with high levels of iron and zinc. Project research will firstly increase current knowledge of the genetic basis of high micronutrient accumulation and agronomic durability in common bean and improve the precision and efficiency of future molecular breeding for more nutritious and durable bean varieties. Secondly, the interdisciplinary research undertaken in this project will demonstrate to the nutritional benefits of the iron and zinc rich beans produced by the breeding program across the stakeholders in the supply and value chains including consumers, small holders and policy makers. It will deliver more nutritious foods in the form of widely eaten common beans in a manner that is culturally appropriate and suited to the common form of cooking and so improve physical and cognitive health in Kenya and ultimately other developing countries. Information concerning micronutrient rich bean varieties will be disseminated in Kenya and will form a platform for analogous activities in other African countries.   Project activities will also promote social welfare and provide science-based advice for policymakers. Our aim is to reach at least 10000 rural house-holds in Kenya, and enhance linkages and interactions with bean grain producers and the market, as well as improving the marketing and technical skills of local farmers. By providing African farmers with the means to produce high nutritional value beans as a feasible and sustainable solution for the alleviation of malnutrition, their revenue and economic wealth will also increase. The inclusion of farmers and local communities in this program of biofortification agriculture not only ensures community engagement at a local level but serves to protect sustainability and focuses on nutritional benefits to women and children in rural regions. The Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) supports cutting-edge research to address challenges faced by developing countries. The fund addresses the UN sustainable development goals. It aims to maximise the impact of research and innovation to improve lives and opportunity in the developing world. The fund addresses the UN sustainable development goals. It aims to maximise the impact of research and innovation to improve lives and opportunity in the developing world.