HarvestPlus, has created awareness on the need for sustainable value chain following bountiful harvest of bio-fortified Vitamin A Maize.
The Country Manager HarvestPlus, Yusuf Dollah in a statement in Abuja on Thursday, said that HarvestPlus and its partners from the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and the Maize Association of Nigeria called for the briefing to create awareness and to stimulate markets for the varieties so that the value chain can be sustained.
Dollah said that at the beginning of 2021 wet season, over 9000MT of vitamin A maize seed was produced and distributed throughout the country by over 20 seed companies. “HarvestPlus carried out activities along the seed system to strengthen access to these seed varieties so that farmers can have access. Farmers bought these seeds from the local agro dealers from their various communities and went to the field for the 2021 production.”
He stated that the vitamin A maize variety which matures within 80 days of planting to harvest is at the moment being harvested from the various agro regions of Nigeria, “indications coming from the field shows that 2021 is indeed a year for the vitamin A maize,” Dollah added
Following the bumper harvest, he therefore stressed the need to create awareness amongst individual and industrial users and to stimulate demand along the value chain, adding that failure to do so would result in low seeds and as well demotivation for farmers.
“With this bumper harvest, there should be a market for the farmer to be able to sell his harvest, that will motivate the farmer to do more in the coming year. This will also translate to increase in seed purchase and the seed company will as well be motivated to increase the volume of seeds to be multiplied.
“If the market fails the farmer, he will be demotivated to continue these varieties, that will translate to low seed sales by the seed companies and the seed companies may decide to dump the varieties. This outcome is referred to as value chain failure (a situation where both the seed and food systems crash) and this is a disaster we must avoid,” he said.
Also speaking, Head of Nutrition and Food Safety, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD), Dr Oyeleke Rasaq Said that FMARD is pleased with HarvestPlus for complementing the efforts of the Federal Government of Nigeria in its strife to attain food and nutrition security through the promotion of nutrition sensitive agriculture.
“We commend HarvestPlus on the initiative of the research so that we have our staple crops fortified with essential micronutrients. Today we are here to showcase research output and to let Nigerians know the achievements in recent times.”
He added that FMARD is also championing the need to extend the technology and innovation to farmers and other users of Agriculture services through extension services.
On the side of Maize farmers, the President of Maize Association of Nigeria (MAAN), Dr Bello Abubakar said that the farmers are the major partners producing the Vitamin A maize. “Out of the 9000MT that was produced, I can say that about 50 per cent was produced by the MAAN.”
“It is very important for us to look at the result after the production; which is to get the market for those that have produced. So it is important for maize processors to understand that presently in Nigeria, all varieties of maize are available.
“Nobody expected that vitamin A maize will be available now in Nigeria, but with the help of HarvestPlus, we have been enjoying Vitamin A Maize for years now,” he added
He further stressed on the need for the Department of Food and Nutrition FMRD to Create awareness and enlightenment for people who do not know the use of Vitamin A Maize, especially the people in rural areas.
