Agric ministry hosts sensitization workshop on bio-fortified crops

The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development recently organised a one-day sensitization workshop on bio-fortified crops and its by-products to promote consumption of nutritious and safe foods in the country.




According to a statement released by the ministry, the workshop which was targeted at households had a strong focus on adding nutritional value to food. Its key objectives included promotion of behavioural change through strategic communication and knowledge sharing as well as exploration of additional sources of income for improved livelihood for Nigerians, especially women.

The programme, coordinated and supervised by Dr.  Adeyinka Onabolu, Senior Advisor on Food Security and Nutrition to Chief Audu Ogbeh, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, was held in collaboration with International Potato Centre, International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Harvest Plus and International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT).

Ogbeh who was represented by Sen. Heineken Lokpobiri, Minister of State in the agric ministry expressed satisfaction at the effort aimed at reducing malnutrition in Nigeria. He said, “We need to change our eating habits and eat more of what is freshly made here in Nigeria. It is in our best interest to avoid eating poison.

“Yes, food is available in the country but some of them are not nutritious. There is no way Nigeria can compete with other parts of the world if we do not collaborate to make sure that we get only bio-fortified crops. Some of our agro-products are rejected because they do not have the required nutrients.

“If we have enough bio-fortified crops, there will be no need for the World Food Programme to be importing food to help our brothers in the North East because they claim that our food is not nutritious,’’ the minister said.

Mrs. Phorbee Olapeju, Country Director, International Potato Centre (CIP) advised the government to include bio-fortified foods in the home-grown school feeding programme, adding that the bio-fortified crops which the centre was promoting were conventionally bred, organic, natural and not genetically modified.

According to her, farmers are currently planting the vines, distributing the planting materials and the crops have gone through the release committee before the distribution. “In the food basket initiative, you will have a crop that is peculiar to every state in the country.

“We want the government to include at least one bio-fortified crop in our school feeding menu programme.

Mrs. Carol Donko who spoke on behalf of bio-fortified Cassava and Potato Farmers said the business had been profitable. She urged other farmers to key into the business to boost the production of high nutritional bio-fortified foods in the country.


At the sensitization event, locally grown crop varieties including the Vitamin ‘A’ Orange Flesh Sweet Potatoes (OFSP), Yellow Cassava, Orange Maize and various products were exhibited. These locally and naturally groomed new varieties of crops are rich in essential minerals and vitamins with high nutritional content.


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