This article provides an overview of plant nutrition for sustainable development and global health, focusing on the essential mineral elements required by plants. It highlights the importance of these elements for crop production and human health, and discusses the challenges posed by low phytoavailability and toxic concentrations of mineral elements in soils. The article introduces the concept of the ionome, which refers to the elemental composition of subcellular structures, cells, tissues, or organisms, and emphasizes the role of transport proteins in determining species-specific ionomes. It reviews current research on addressing mineral toxicities in agricultural soils and optimizing fertilizer use for economic and environmental sustainability. The article also explores strategies for biofortification, including agronomic and genetic approaches, to increase the concentrations of essential mineral elements in edible crops. Finally, it discusses the potential of biofortification as a cost-effective solution to address mineral malnutrition in both developed and developing countries.This article provides an overview of plant nutrition for sustainable development and global health, focusing on the essential mineral elements required by plants. It highlights the importance of these elements for crop production and human health, and discusses the challenges posed by low phytoavailability and toxic concentrations of mineral elements in soils. The article introduces the concept of the ionome, which refers to the elemental composition of subcellular structures, cells, tissues, or organisms, and emphasizes the role of transport proteins in determining species-specific ionomes. It reviews current research on addressing mineral toxicities in agricultural soils and optimizing fertilizer use for economic and environmental sustainability. The article also explores strategies for biofortification, including agronomic and genetic approaches, to increase the concentrations of essential mineral elements in edible crops. Finally, it discusses the potential of biofortification as a cost-effective solution to address mineral malnutrition in both developed and developing countries.