HarvestPlus Meets 16 Partners, Sets Agenda for 2015

In pursuit of its delivery agenda for Vitamin A Cassava initiative and preparation for the 2015 planting season, HarvestPlus Nigeria has held a three-day work-planning/review meeting with its 16 partners from four target states of Imo, Benue, Akwa-Ibom and Oyo as well as stakeholders in the agricultural sector.

‎HarvestPlus targets 700,000 farmers for Vitamin A Cassava stem multiplication, 300 investors in the value chain and over 3 million Nigerians to consume Vitamin A Cassava food products in 2015.‎‎

The meeting, according to a press statement made available to Nigeria CommunicationsWeek, reviewed HarvestPlus’s activities in 2014 and set agenda for 2015.

Paul Ilona, country manager, HarvestPlus Nigeria, said, “Part of the agenda for this year includes: dissemination of improved vitamin A cassava stems to over 700,000 farmers; establishment of over 300 processing centres for vitamin A cassava and establishment of over 300 points of sale for vitamin A cassava food products and confectionery

Other areas include ensuring that at least three million Nigerians consume vitamin A cassava products this year; and, reaching out to over 50 million Nigerians with information on vitamin A cassava initiative.
‎
Chief Frank Ibezim,‎ commissioner for Agriculture, Imo State, while declaring the work-planning session and Vitamin A Cassava products exhibition open, said, “Imo State is happy to host HarvestPlus and its partners. We will support you in your drive to ensure that Nigerians have access to healthier and more nutritious foods using the vitamin A cassava initiative.”

He called on HarvestPlus and partners to sustain the fight against hidden hunger, poverty reduction and empowerment of small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

Highlights of the three-day meeting include visits to local processors of Vitamin A Cassava as well as fabricators of cassava processing equipment in the state.

The team also paid visits to Amauzari Vitamin A Cassava model village under the management of Forward Africa, one of HarvestPlus’s partners in Imo State.
 
HarvestPlus leads a global effort to improve nutrition and public health by developing and deploying staple food crops that are rich in vitamins and minerals.

It works with diverse partners in more than 40 countries.

HarvestPlus is part of the CGIAR Research Program on Agriculture for Nutrition and Health (A4NH).

CGIAR is a global agriculture research partnership for a food secure future.

Its science is carried out by its 15 research centers in collaboration with hundreds of partner organizations.

The HarvestPlus program is coordinated by two of these centers, the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) and the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).‎