Zinc for Health

Teck launched its Zinc & Health program after learning about the critical link between zinc, human health, and crop nutrition. Today, an innovative partnership is helping to reduce zinc deficiency in both humans and agriculture in China.

Zhang Hai Hong walks along the rows of rice fields at his 5-hectare Xin Hua Farm in Jiamusi, located in China’s northeastern Heilongjiang province. Set along the lower reaches of the Songhua River, Heilongjiang province is one of China’s most important regions for rice production.

Stable rice production in this area is imperative for satisfying global demand for rice. Yet rising inflation and production costs, such as labor, fertilizer, and agri-chemicals, paired with frequent droughts has led to increasing challenges for farmers in the province.

Another challenge facing the country is zinc deficiency, the most widespread micronutrient deficiency in China. Zinc is essential for health in humans, animals, and crops. It is crucial for growth and brain development and helps fight dangerous infections, especially in children.

Today, nearly 50 percent of arable soils in China are low in plant-available zinc, resulting in stunted crop growth, lower yields and nutrition value, and inefficient uses of scarce water and fertilizer resources. Sadly, 45 percent of children in China do not get enough zinc in their diet, which can have lifelong health implications due to developmental and cognitive delays.

Research has shown that areas with zinc-deficient soils are often regions with widespread zinc deficiency in humans, leading to significant health issues. The yields and nutritional quality of crops, along with farmers’ incomes and public health, can all be improved by ensuring that crops have an adequate supply of zinc.

Partnership making a difference

Teck launched its Zinc & Health program in 2011 after learning about the critical link between zinc, human health, and crop nutrition. Today, Teck’s Zinc & Health program partners with international organizations such as UNICEF to scale-up solutions for zinc deficiency, including therapeutic zinc, zinc supplementation, and food fortification.

In March 2012, Teck also entered into a partnership with the National Agricultural Technology Extension Service Center of the Ministry of Agriculture of China (NATESC) and the International Zinc Association (IZA) to promote the production and use of zinc fertilizer in China.

The project has been implemented by NATESC, an integrated agricultural technology extension organization in China. NATESC commands the resources of more than 400,000 agricultural extension workers from the national to the village level. IZA, a nonprofit organization active in zinc and nutrition efforts, supports scientific research, publishes informative materials, and holds regional, national, and international conferences.

Zinc fertilizer increasing crop yields and nutritional quality

For the past three years, the Teck-NATESC-IZA project has been carrying out extensive trial and demo work across China to demonstrate the benefits of zinc fertilizer to China’s agriculture industry.

Mr. Zhang is one of the farmers who has adopted the use of zinc fertilizer after visiting one of the project demonstration plots. He saw first-hand the impact that zinc fertilizer had on crops, especially those affected by droughts and disease.

“After using the zinc fertilizer, I have been having stronger seedlings, especially during the bud bursting period,” says Mr. Zhang. “They grow faster and look healthier. What’s more, they show no sign of stresses like usual in a drought or very cold weather. This means I do not have to worry so much about their getting diseases. Not only has the amount of rice increased, but the quality has too.”

Mr. Zhang’s account is consistent with the project’s crop trial research. It has found that zinc fertilizer increased crop yields by 8 percent to 20 percent and increased the nutritional content of zinc in grains by 20 percent to 40 percent. The research also found that zinc fertilizer improved nitrogen fertilizer uptake and increased financial returns for farmers.

“Buyers seeing the good quality of my rice now call me to make advance orders before I sow the seeds,” continues Mr. Zhang. “And they are willing to pay 0.10 Yuan more per kilo than before. Nowadays, people are paying more attention to health and food safety, and I think rice that is rich in zinc could be welcomed by customers. That is the best thing I can expect.”

Selling rice at 0.10 Yuan (US$0.02) more per kilo is a 10,000 Yuan (US$1,595) increase in income per year for Mr. Zhang.

The Teck-NATESC-IZA project has generated substantial policy support since 2012 with the inclusion of zinc fertilizer in China’s National Fertilizers Recommendation Guidelines for Major Crops Production. The guidelines are provided to thousands of agricultural extension workers and distributed to millions of farmers nationwide.

Challenges in scaling-up zinc fertilizer

The key challenge in scaling up the use of zinc fertilizer is education along the entire supply chain, up to and including rural farmers. It has been especially challenging where it is needed most – among low-income, small-scale farmers on small plots of land. Teck and its partners have found that the most important activity has been creating demonstration plots. This allows farmers to see the benefits that zinc fertilizer has on soils similar to their own, therefore reducing the risk of purchasing new fertilizer.

Looking forward

In the long-term, Teck, NATESC, and IZA would like to see this small project in China grow to reach farmers in countries where there is widespread zinc deficiency in both agricultural soils and humans. Increasing the income of rural farmers could have significant implications in reducing the cycle of poverty that affects millions of low-income farmers around the world.

Teck’s President and CEO, Don Lindsay, is focused on promoting the benefits of zinc fertilizer to farmers and fertilizer producers in China and beyond. “Our goal is to take meaningful steps to reduce zinc deficiency in soils, improve crop yields and quality and ultimately improve human health,” says Mr. Lindsay.

Back in Jiamusi, Mr. Zhang and his wife are happy with the impact that zinc fertilizer has had on his rice fields. With the additional income, Mr. Zhang will now be able to purchase new and much-needed machinery for the Xin Hua Farm and “perhaps a car,” he adds with a smile.

To learn more about Teck’s Zinc & Health program, please visit www.zincsaveslives.com.