The Nigeria seed sector has faced persistent challenges, including inconsistent seed quality, limited regulatory oversight, and inadequate awareness among farmers. These gaps have hindered the effective adoption of quality seeds, including biofortified varieties that can combat malnutrition.

To address these challenges, HarvestPlus, in collaboration with Propcom+, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, the Federal Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology, and other key partners, has supported the development of micronutrient standards for the release and registration of vitamin A crop varieties in Nigeria.

At a recently concluded validation workshop, experts and crop breeders specializing in nutrition and climate-smart agriculture came together to discuss strategies for increasing awareness among Nigerian seed breeders about the importance of micronutrient standards for biofortified crops. The workshop also focused on finalizing the micronutrient standards for the variety release of vitamin A maize (VAM) seeds in Nigeria.

HarvestPlus Nigeria worked closely with the National Varietal Release Committee to develop guidelines, ensuring that biofortified provitamin A maize varieties meet quality, safety, and efficacy standards to effectively combat vitamin A deficiency. Once finalized, these guidelines will strengthen Nigeria’s seed industry by enhancing regulatory clarity and promoting the adoption of nutrient-rich crop varieties.

A big thanks to all our partners from public and private sector for their dedication to advancing food and nutrition security in Nigeria!