Project profile — Nutritious Maize for Ethiopia

This project aims to improve household food security and nutrition in Ethiopia for an estimated 3.98 million people by promoting widespread adoption of quality protein maize (QPM) varieties amongst growers and consumers of maize. Maize, also known as corn, is an essential food source for Ethiopians and QPM is a non-genetically engineered form of maize. The maize contains a naturally derived gene mutation with a higher content of 2 essential amino acids necessary to synthesize proteins within the human body after consumption and provides twice as much nutritional value as common maize. The project supports the adoption of QPM and increases in farm productivity and household incomes by expanding the maize seed industry. Project activities include: (1) introducing QPM seed and food products to farmers (women and men) engaged in subsistence-level maize production as a means to meet household basic food requirements; (2) disseminating gender-sensitive crop management practices to farmers and agricultural extension officers; and (3) strengthening local capacity of researchers, seed producers, and seed suppliers on producing, distributing, and quality control of QPM seeds. The International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre, a member centre of the Consultative Group for International Agriculture Research, implements this project. It does so in collaboration with the Ethiopian Institute for Agriculture Research, Ethiopia’s Ministry of Agriculture, Farm Radio International, a Canadian non-governmental organization, and Sasakawa Global 2000, an international non-governmental organization.

The expected outcomes of this project include: (1) increased use of QPM seed and grain, particularly by vulnerable groups with an emphasis on young children and women in maize-producing areas; (2) increased QPM grain production in drought-prone and highland agro-ecological areas; and (3) strengthened institutional capacity of the public and private seed-supply sector to produce and distribute QPM seed on a sustainable basis.

Results achieved at the end of the project (March 2019) include: (1) over 355,000 farmers, extension agents, health workers, local officials, and media personnel participated in quality protein maize (QPM) awareness activities through 1,788 demonstration plots, 372 woreda-level field days, and 613 kebele-level field visits. These activities reached more than 257,000 farmers (approximately 29% women), far exceeding the original target of 20,000 participants for the entire project period; (2) provided training to 758 trainers (30% men) and over 93,000 farmers (49% men) on QPM-based food preparation during field days, off-season demonstrations, and video training sessions; (3) developed and distributed 7 audio-visual modules and a printed manual in multiple local languages; (4) consumer acceptance studies confirmed strong preference for QPM-based foods and showed a willingness to pay a premium for QPM products; (5) Farm Radio International partnered with 4 regional radio stations to produce and broadcast 320 participatory radio episodes over 6 years. These broadcasts, complemented by Information, communication and technology tools such as “beep-2-vote” and IVR services, reached thousands of farmers and established 94 community listener groups (48 men and 46 women) to enhance engagement and feedback; (6) produced approximately 312 tonnes of certified QPM seeds annually over the last 5 years, supported by training for 23 seed company managers (4 women) and 124 agronomists and seed inspectors (14 women) on seed business management and QPM seed production; (7) established an equipped and operational QPM quality control laboratory , analyzing over 650 samples to ensure seed and grain quality standards; and (8) increased awareness, knowledge, and institutional capacity for QPM production and use, laying the foundation for improved food and nutrition security in targeted areas.