In a bid to offer strong markets for Vitamin A maize to deal with malnutrition and enhance public well being within the nation, a non-profit analysis organisation, HarvestPlus and Maize Affiliation of Nigeria (MAN) have referred to as on the federal government to offer enabling atmosphere to enhance cultivation of the crop.
Nation Supervisor of HarvestPlus, Mr. Yusuf Dollah, addressing journalists in Abuja, pressured the necessity to enhance vitamin and public well being of the citizenry via the event of staple meals crops which can be wealthy in nutritional vitamins and minerals.
In keeping with him, Vitamin A maize seeds are excessive yielding, illness resistant and drought tolerant because the nutrient is necessary for wholesome pores and skin, sturdy immune system, good eyesight and prevention of diarrhea in kids.
Dollah disclosed that in the beginning of 2021 planting season, over 9,000 metric tonnes of vitamin A maize seeds have been produced and distributed all through the nation by over 20 seed firms.
He famous that his organisation labored tirelessly to make sure that farmers have entry to those seed varieties via the native agro-dealers in numerous communities throughout the nation.
He said that vitamin A maize, which matures inside 80 days of planting to reap, is at present being harvested from numerous agro areas throughout the nation.
He famous that from the findings of the organisation on the discipline of harvest, there’s going to be bumper harvest this yr.
In keeping with him, “With this bumper harvest, there must be marketplace for the farmers to have the ability to their harvest; it will inspire the farmers to do extra within the coming yr.
“This may also translate to extend in seed buy and the seed firm will as properly be motivated to extend quantity of seeds to be multiplied. If the market fails the farmer, he might be demotivated to proceed with these varieties.”
This can translate to low seed gross sales by the seed firms and the seed firm could determine to dump the varieties. This end result is known as worth chain failure, a scenario the place each the seed and meals methods crash. This can be a catastrophe we should keep away from.”
Additionally talking, President of Maize Affiliation of Nigeria, Dr. Bello Abubakar, pressured the necessity for presidency to create enabling atmosphere and strong markets for Vitamin A maize to thrive.
Abubakar identified that maize farmers wanted to be inspired and incentivized, including that the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Growth ought to intensify efforts to hyperlink maize farmers to processing industries for Vitamin A maize.
In his remarks, Dr. Adeleke Mufutau, Maize Worth Chain Co-ordinator, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Growth, mentioned maize is now not briefly provide in Nigeria.
Mufutau mentioned earlier than the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic, Nigeria was producing about 15.5 million metric tonnes of maize, including that the demand was about 18.5 million metric tonnes.
He mentioned that at present the provision and demand hole has been bridged via the Federal Authorities’s collaboration with MAN, HarvestPlus and different important stakeholders within the maize worth chain.
