An international development organization, in response to a vitamin A deficiency among people in the impoverished nation of Tagus, has engineered a new breed of millet high in vitamin A. While seeds for this new type of millet cost more, farmers will be p

In a move to eradicate Vitamin A deficiency among people in Tagus, a new variety of millet has been engineered, which according to the claim would combat Vitamin A deficiency. However, the first question that is unanswered is the extent to which the Vitamin deficiency has hit the population of the nation. Whether it is a small fraction or a notable fraction of citizens affected by the same?

Second, Vitamin deficiency is caused by a variety of factors that range from genetic constitution to general food habits to life styles. Vegetables like carrot are great sources of Vitamin A. Deficiency of any kind results from the absence of a balanced diet. If only a small fraction of the population is affected by the same then it could be due to the non availability of sources of Vitamin A in the specific geographical region. Making available new breed of millet would not necessarily resolve the issue. Moreover, if the seeds of the new variety are expensive, then naturally the crop would be available at inflated price, then how can majority of the hit afford the same. Although, millet is a staple food, the new millet needn't supplant the traditional variety.

Moreover, the deficiency of Vitamin A could also be a result of low number of people consuming foods with adequate Vitamin content. If people aren't consuming the readily available varieties of traditional millet, then how can one guarantee the consumption of the new breed? Promoting the new breed is not an effective solution to the problem of Vitamin deficiency.

In conclusion, promotion of the new breed is definitely a good move but does not necessarily solve the problem of Vitamin deficiency.