Her research project will develop a new biofortified lowland rice variety for Madagascar. Rice is the staple food of Madagascar's Malagasy populations. Rice is a poor source of zinc, however, and in Madagascar where people often consume rice three times a day without sufficient dietary diversification, zinc biofortification is a research priority. Zinc deficiency affects 80% of Madagascar's population, especially in rural areas. This study will select varieties of rice that are high in zinc to alleviate malnutrition in the Malagasy diet. It will establish the baseline zinc content of local varieties grown by three of Madagascar's primary rice producers, identify high-zinc crop lines from crosses with one high-zinc parent crop, as well assess the outcome of crossing two high-zinc parent crops, taking into consideration that it should also meet farmers' demands for high grain yield and grain quality. This will hopefully lead to the release of a new lowland rice variety with high enough zinc content to counteract malnutrition in Madagascar.