“It started with one plot,” said Maryam Musa, gesturing at the rows of rich, leafy spinach sprawling across her farm in Katsina State. “I never knew it would grow into a business that feeds my family and puts my children through school.”
Two years ago, Maryam’s farm was merely a patch of arid, lifeless soil. That changed when she attended a farmers’ workshop organised by HarvestPlus Nigeria, an agro-based nonprofit pioneering the cultivation of nutrient-rich crops through a novel approach known as biofortification.
Sceptical but curious, Maryam listened as the trainers introduced her to biofortification, the science of developing crops enriched with essential vitamins and minerals.
“They gave me a sack of Vitamin A cassava stems,” she recalled. “At first, I wasn’t sure it would make a difference, but I decided to try. What did I have to lose?”
HarvestPlus didn’t stop at providing seeds. They taught Maryam how to prepare the soil, conserve water, and protect crops from pests. Applying every lesson with diligence, she rose at dawn each day to care for her fields. Within months, yields doubled. Her maize plants stood taller, and her spinach appeared lusher than she’d ever seen.
The real breakthrough came when HarvestPlus connected her with buyers beyond her village. “I used to sell just enough to survive,” Maryam said, smiling toward a nearby pickup truck. “Now, my spinach is used in fortified foods in cities, and my maize goes to agro-processors. I’m no longer just a farmer—I’m a businesswoman.”
Maryam’s success is part of a broader transformation sweeping across Nigeria’s rural communities. Small-scale farmers are shifting from subsistence agriculture to modern, profitable enterprises. At the heart of this movement is HarvestPlus Nigeria, a nonprofit dedicated to enhancing food security and economic empowerment through biofortification.
Biofortification is a sustainable solution to “hidden hunger”—nutrient deficiencies that impair growth and health. By cultivating crops rich in essential vitamins and minerals, HarvestPlus is not only combating malnutrition but also making agriculture a more viable and lucrative endeavour.
“We realised that agriculture in Nigeria is more than a way of life; it’s an identity,” said Michael Eze, a HarvestPlus program officer in Enugu State. “By turning small farms into profitable businesses, we nourish families, feed communities, and transform lives.”
HarvestPlus employs a three-pronged strategy to empower farmers. To start with, farmers are equipped with modern agricultural techniques to boost yields and improve crop quality. HarvestPlus then provides biofortified seeds such as vitamin A-rich cassava, maize and sweet potatoes as well as iron-rich beans. By connecting farmers to agroprocessors, markets, and urban buyers in a process known as market linkage, HarvestPlus ensures farmers can sell their nutrient-dense produce at premium prices.
Why Biofortification Matters
Biofortification enriches crops during their growth phase, embedding essential vitamins and minerals naturally. For instance, Vitamin A-rich cassava helps address deficiencies that cause blindness and weakened immunity, while iron-rich beans combat anaemia, a condition that affects over 60% of women and children in Nigeria.
Beyond their nutritional benefits, biofortified crops are more resilient to pests and diseases, producing higher yields. For example, biofortified cassava has been shown to yield up to 20% more than conventional varieties, improving both economic and health outcomes for farmers.
Through workshops and outreach, HarvestPlus is inspiring a new generation of farmers. Adebayo, a young entrepreneur from Ekiti State, is one such example.
“I used to think farming was for the old,” Adebayo said, standing proudly in his cassava field. “But when I learned about biofortified crops, I saw a future. My Vitamin A cassava sells for a higher price because people value its health benefits.”
Adebayo’s story reflects a growing trend: young Nigerians are rebranding agriculture as a rewarding and dynamic career.
Access to markets has long been a challenge for small-scale farmers. HarvestPlus addresses this by linking farmers with buyers, food processors, and agro-companies.
“Before HarvestPlus, I only sold my produce in the village,” Maryam said. “Now, my spinach and maize are part of fortified foods sold in cities. Even locally, I sell fresh vegetables every week to a nearby restaurant.”
The impact of HarvestPlus extends far beyond individual farms. Over 500,000 households in rural Nigeria now grow biofortified crops, improving both nutrition and incomes. With increased earnings, farmers are investing in education, healthcare, and infrastructure, creating a ripple effect that transforms entire communities.
Despite its successes, challenges remain. Farmers often struggle with limited access to finance, poor infrastructure, and unpredictable weather patterns. To address these issues, HarvestPlus advocates for drought-resistant crops and partners with microlending institutions to provide financial support.
“The work is far from over,” Eze admitted. “But every good harvest and every farmer’s smile reminds us why we do this work.”
Maryam Musa dreams of expanding her farm and establishing a cooperative for women farmers in Katsina. “If I can do it, so can they,” she said with determination.
Adebayo shares a similar vision. “I want to start a training centre in Ekiti where young people can learn about biofortified crops. Farming isn’t just work—it’s a lifestyle,” he said enthusiastically.
With organisations like HarvestPlus leading the way, rural farming is becoming a sustainable engine of growth, hope, and prosperity.
Maryam Musa transformed her arid farm in Katsina State into a thriving business by adopting biofortification, a method promoted by HarvestPlus Nigeria to enrich crops with essential nutrients. Initially skeptical, Maryam embraced the provided Vitamin A cassava stems and learned modern farming techniques through a workshop. Her yields increased, and she connected with broader markets, turning her subsistence farming into a profitable venture that supports her family. This success story illustrates a broader shift in Nigeria, where HarvestPlus empowers small-scale farmers by providing biofortified seeds and creating market linkages, thus addressing malnutrition and enhancing economic opportunities.
Biofortification combats nutrient deficiencies, such as Vitamin A deficiency causing blindness, with enriched crops like cassava and iron-rich beans that also resist pests and yield more. HarvestPlus workshops inspire a new generation, with young farmers like Adebayo in Ekiti State recognizing the prosperity in biofortified crops. As a result, over 500,000 households in Nigeria now grow these crops, improving nutrition and income, which leads to increased investments in education and infrastructure. Despite challenges like limited financing and climate issues, HarvestPlus continues to advocate for solutions, aiming to sustain growth and transformation in rural agriculture.
