End hunger , achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture
2.1 EDUCATION & RESEARCH
Mapping inequalities in breastfeeding nutrition in low-income countries
KAUST faculty contributed to a global study on
exclusive breastfeeding ( EBF ) prevalence in Low and Middle-Income Countries ( LMIC ). The study , published in 2021 in the highimpact journal Nature Human Behavior , resulted from a global collaboration of more than 450 researchers , and was part of the Global Burden of Disease study . The team analyzed data from 2000 to 2018 , examined the trends and prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding of 94 LMIC , and projected the performance of countries in relation to World Health Organization ( WHO ) targets .
The study ’ s results show that , amongst analyzed countries , only 6 are projected to meet WHO ’ s ≥70 percent exclusive breastfeeding prevalence target . The long-term benefits of exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of an infant ’ s life have been extensively documented in scientific literature and breastmilk is considered the most nutritionally adequate food for that life stage . The study ’ s conclusions may help countries formulate the necessary policies and interventions to promote breastfeeding .
Saving and enhancing a local staple food
The Fit Date Palm project , led by faculty from the Center for Desert Agriculture ( CDA ) was launched in 2021 and aims to generate a molecular and biotechnological toolbox that can help existing crops to fight disease and adapt to climate change , and breed new varieties that have superior quality and yield while using fewer resources such as water or land . The final goal is to protect one of the most culturally and economically significant Saudi commodities . Dates are incredibly nutritious foods , being rich in slow digesting carbs , minerals and vitamins , and having the potential to be a staple crop in arid regions .
The Fit Date Palm Project principal investigator Prof . Ikram Blilou
Increasing nutrition and stress tolerance of crops
What if we could increase a food ’ s nutrition , while simultaneously increasing its yield and stress tolerance ? That was the result of the
research carried out by KAUST researchers from the Center for Desert Agriculture ( CDA ). By manipulating the carotenoid biosynthetic pathway in tomato plants , the team achieved a significant change in metabolic pathways , which influenced hormone content and consequent plant development and physiology . As a result , the tomato plants increased their fruit yield and pro-vitamin A content , with an added bonus of increased shelf life post-harvest when compared to control tomatoes . The findings of the study highlight the importance of developing new generations of crops with high productivity and nutritional value , in a time when hunger is exacerbated by climate change and the need to feed 10 billion people by 2050 remains .
8 | KAUST SDG HIGHLIGHT REPORT