India is among the world’s largest producers of staple crops, yet micronutrient malnutrition or “hidden hunger” remains a major challenge. This highlights the nutritional yield gap, which assesses not only crop productivity but also the supply of essential nutrients such as protein, iron, zinc, and vitamins. Factors including soil nutrient depletion, variety selection, and post-harvest losses contribute to this gap. This article examines the concept of the nutritional yield gap in Indian staple crops and discusses strategies such as biofortification, agronomic fortification, and diversified cropping systems to improve food and nutrition security.
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