2018 Chapters (Layout Features)

Ethical and Sociocultural Considerations of Biofortified Crops: Ensuring Value and Sustainability for Public Health

Fanzo, Jessica C.; Glass, Sara

This chapter highlights ethical considerations related to biofortified crops and provides insights on how planned and implemented biofortification interventions can take into account sociocultural aspects to improve public health. A literature review of ethical and sociocultural issues was performed, as well as an analysis of biofortification using a public health ethics framework. The research suggests that biofortification has clear public health goals and has promise toward meeting those goals. Where there is a need for more research is to better understand the impacts of biofortification programs on issues of self-determination, liberties, and food justice, the burdens and nonmaleficence to society can be minimized. This can be done through early involvement of the community in research and programmatic strategies. Distributive justice issues, such as ensuring fair access to seeds and foods for farmers and consumers, ought to be considered.