Project profile — Support to the HarvestPlus Challenge Program

• Africa, regional (45.00%)
• America, regional (15.00%)
• Asia, regional (40.00%)

• Basic Health: Basic nutrition (12240) (20.00%)
• Agriculture: Agricultural research (31182) (80.00%)

• Gender equality (significant objective)
• Environmental sustainability (cross-cutting) (not targeted)
• Participatory development and good governance (not targeted)
• Trade development (not targeted)
• Biodiversity (not targeted)
• Climate change mitigation (not targeted)
• Climate Change Adaptation (not targeted)
• Urban issues (not targeted)
• Desertification (not targeted)
• Children's issues (not targeted)
• Youth Issues (not targeted)
• Indigenous Issues (not targeted)
• Disability (not targeted)
• ICT as a tool for development (not targeted)

The goal of this project is to boost the nutritional status of vulnerable populations through improvements to the quality of staple foods that are consumed on a daily basis. Fruits, vegetables, and animal products are rich in micronutrients, but these foods are often not available. Through extensive research and testing, staple crops such as sweet potatoes, pearl millet and beans are fortified with vitamins and nutrients such as iron, zinc, and provitamin A. The crops are then tested and distributed in developing countries. This contribution builds on CIDA's previous support to HarvestPlus and aims to enable product development and delivery to households to maximize earlier investments in research.

N/A

Results achieved as of 2012 include: the release of three cassava varieties enriched with vitamin A in cooperation with Nigerian authorities in 2011; the completion of studies on consumer acceptance of crops enriched with vitamin A (orange sweet potato, maize, and cassava) showing that consumers will pay more for these crops when they have information on their nutritional and health benefits; and the production of seeds and stalks of biofortified crops for delivery in India, Nigeria, Rwanda, and Zambia.

• Proactive disclosure