African Union commissioner for
Rural Economy and Agriculture, Tumuslime Rhoda Peace, has said that the union
would partner with lead research-based agriculture institution, Harvest Plus, to
promote farming and consumption of boi-fortified crops, through the use of farming
technologies, especially among poor farming and urban communities, to boost
Agriculture in the African continent. NaijaAgroNet, reports.
NaijaAgroNet gathered
that Tumuslime appreciated the role of the institute in lifting the rural poor
communities in Africa out of poverty and stressed that in order to improve
market access, the use of farming technology needs propagation at higher policy
making levels so that farmers can adopt it and
sellers can buy the micro nutrient-added to produce in good quantities.
Director
Harvest Plus, Dr. Howarth Bouis and Harvest Plus, Head of Africa Strategic
Alliances, Dr. Anna-Marie Ball NaijaAgroNet
learnt, briefed the commissioner on its accomplishments in breeding and
production of bio-fortified food crops and distribution bio-fortified seed
varieties as well as improved cultivars, thereby empowering rural communities.
Dr.
Bouis said, “The organisation also helps add value to locally produced
agricultural crops in countries where the organization is working in Africa.”
She added that “we have released a number of bio-fortified crops including:
iron beans, iron pearl millet, vitamin A cassava, vitamin A maize, vitamin A
sweet potatoes, Zinc rice and Zinc wheat.”
NaijaAgroNet
gathered that the Harvard Plus has executed countless programmes in Africa,
especially the rapid expansion in production and consumption of yellow cassava
in Nigeria.
Harvest
Plus as NaijaAgroNet learnt, is a lead research-based, agriculture technology
institution that was established to respond to the problem of ‘hidden hunger’
which is caused by the lack of essential vitamins and minerals in the diet,
such as vitamin A, zinc, and iron, thus reinforcing agriculture’s pivotal role
in improving the quality of diet and increasing micro-nutrient
consumption.
Nsolibe
Daniel/Ed, Ops.
... Linking agrobiz, sustainable environs, people & technology
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