The federal government has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening food and nutrition security through expanded adoption of biofortified crops across the country.

The permanent secretary, federal ministry of agriculture and food security, Marcus Ogunbiyi, stated this at a national biofortification workshop in Kano on Saturday.

Mr Ogunbiyi said ensuring food availability alone was no longer sufficient.

He stressed the need to guarantee that food consumed by Nigerians was nutritious, safe, affordable and accessible.

Mr Ogunbiyi lamented that malnutrition and micronutrient deficiencies remained major public health and economic challenges in the country.

He said, “Biofortification provides a cost-effective and sustainable approach to improving nutrition, particularly among women, children and vulnerable groups.

“The workshop was organised to review the mandate and operational framework of the National Biofortification Steering Committee and align it with national food and nutrition policies.

“Nigeria currently has the largest portfolio of biofortified crops globally, with iron-rich pearl millet, zinc-enriched rice, Vitamin A cassava, Vitamin A maize and Vitamin A sweet potato developed and promoted through partnerships with research institutions.

“The initiative has been integrated into national agricultural and nutrition policies, with private sector participation strengthening the value chain through seed multiplication, processing and market development,” he added.

The participants emphasised the need for sustained investments in research, extension services and awareness creation to accelerate the adoption of biofortified crops nationwide.

(NAN)