In for the Long Game:
How Iron Potatoes Are
Changing the Future of Nutrition
Anemia and malnutrition are silent global crises affecting millions, yet solutions are within reach. Among them is the biofortified iron potato, a powerful tool to combat iron deficiency and childhood stunting. Developed through decades of rigorous breeding, this innovation offers a simple yet effective way to improve nutrition worldwide, particularly in communities where potatoes are a staple food.
The Journey of Iron Potatoes: A Long-Term Commitment
LIMA, Peru
Standing in the dim light of a greenhouse, Dr. Hannele Lindquist-Kreuze gestures toward two potato plants—one with purple flowers, the other white. Kallpa and Puca Yawri, named in Quechua, look like any other variety to an untrained eye. Yet they embody a generational effort requiring foresight, patience, and scientific precision. These are the world’s first officially released ironbiofortified potatoes, a breakthrough that could help reduce global rates of stunting and anemia.
“These two varieties were released in late 2023 and early 2024, but they are really the result of long-term work,” said Lindquist-Kreuze, head of crop improvement at the International Potato Center (CIP) in Lima. Her team pioneered this innovation, which features 50% more iron and zinc than common potato varieties, enhanced drought resilience, and resistance to major diseases like late blight.
“I am very thankful to those before me who designed these trials and crossings,” she said. “They had the goal of developing an iron-biofortified variety, anticipating that this trait would be important in the future.”
Why Iron Matters: Understanding Anemia’s Global Impact
Breeding is a complex, uncertain, and costly endeavor—yet it is essential for the future of agriculture and human health. Iron deficiency anemia affects approximately half a billion women worldwide, weakening immune systems, reducing cognitive function, and diminishing economic productivity. Children with anemia suffer from stunted growth, decreased energy, and lower academic performance, perpetuating cycles of poverty and malnutrition.
Potatoes play a crucial role in tackling these challenges, thanks to their superior iron absorption rate compared to other iron-rich crops. In collaboration with ETH Zurich, Dr. Gabriela Burgos, a CIP geneticist and member of Lindquist-Kreuze’s team, conducted a study with women in the Peruvian highlands. The findings were striking: nearly 30% of the iron in potatoes is absorbed by the body, compared to just 5% from legumes, making potatoes six times more effective as an iron source.
“It’s important to understand bioavailability,” Burgos explained. “It’s not enough for a crop to have high iron content; we need to know how much of that iron can actually be absorbed by the body. Some crops, like beans and cereals, contain compounds such as phytates that inhibit iron absorption. In contrast, potatoes have almost no phytates and are rich in vitamin C, which enhances iron uptake.”
From Highland Farms to Global Tables
The study also revealed that a single 500-gram serving of iron potatoes can provide 50% of the daily iron requirement for women of reproductive age, making them a game-changer in the fight against anemia.
For instance, in Ambato, a village 3800m above the sea level in the Peruvian highlands. Here, CIP introduced iron biofortified test clones to 900 selected farms in communities with high anemia rates in 2019 to assess their impact.
Bertha Azor San Clemente, one of the farmers who received these clones, planted them as part of a campaign promoting improved farming practices, iron deficiency awareness, and nutrition education. Her youngest child, who struggled with anemia, showed noticeable improvement.
“He was always tired, wouldn’t play, had no appetite. Medicines were too expensive, so we relied on food. With iron potatoes, we saw a change. They filled us up and tasted better. My children preferred them over the other potatoes we had,” she said.
Kallpa and Puca Yawri, were developed and bred specifically for highland communities. They are adapted to the harsh Andes climate while meeting local taste preferences. Beyond Peru, CIP is introducing iron potatoes in high-altitude regions with high anemia rates, including Nepal, Ethiopia, and Madagascar.
Early trials in Madagascar have shown promising results, with some iron potato clones exhibiting up to double the iron and zinc levels of conventional varieties. However, scaling up impact depends on government buy-in and nutrition-focused policies.
“Iron and zinc levels are high, and our trials show yields comparable to common varieties here,” said Dr. Placide Rukundo, CIP’s breeder in Madagascar. “But success also depends on governments and partners promoting them. We saw this with orange-fleshed sweet potatoes in Rwanda, where they significantly raised vitamin A levels. Scaling up iron potatoes will need similar support.”
The Future of Crop Improvement
CIP has previously demonstrated the success of biofortification through orange-fleshed sweet potatoes, which have helped combat vitamin A deficiency in millions of households across Africa, Asia, and Latin America. The impact of iron potatoes could be just as significant, particularly in regions where anemia rates are high and potatoes are a dietary staple. The cost-benefit ratio of biofortification is striking: for every dollar invested, there is a $17 return in health and economic benefits.
But developing a new potato variety can take decades, requiring careful selection of parent lines, countless crossbreeding attempts, and rigorous field trials to identify and stabilize desirable traits. And the work never stops, Lindquist-Kreuze said. Crops must be continuously improved to keep pace with evolving environmental challenges.
“As the climate changes, we can expect higher temperatures and new kinds of stresses—some of which we don’t even know yet,” she said. “But for those we do, we need to start preparing now. Breeding is about forecasting the future. We must anticipate nutrition needs, climate challenges, and disease threats. The varieties we release today were designed by those before us, just as the ones we develop now will benefit future generations. That’s why we’re in it for the long game.”
Iron potatoes represent a critical step in ensuring that agriculture contributes to solving global health challenges. As biofortified crops become more widely adopted, they will play an essential role in shaping a healthier, more resilient future for all.