OFSP
Nigeria is home to over 50% of West Africa’s population, 70% of the population is below the poverty line (2007 est.). Malnutrition is widespread, with over 41% percent of children under five years of age are stunted – i.e. chronically malnourished and the prevalence of vitamin A deficiency at 29.5%, a level of public health concern (Maziya Dixon et al., 2005). To reduce high levels of malnutrition that leads to increased child mortality, reduced learning, low economic capacity and effectively stunt economic development.
Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) in collaboration with International Potato Center (CIP) introduced the Orange-fleshed varieties (OFSP) that are extremely rich in beta-carotene, with the precursor for vitamin A which is better than White-fleshed varieties that have no beta-carotene. Among OFSP, a useful rule is: the deeper the intensity of the orange color, the greater the amount of beta-carotene.
OFSP varieties that can supply the recommended daily allowance of vitamin A for children and non-lactating women contain (300-700 μg retinol activity equivalents) OFSP is a high yielding crops with two different variety currently released after due research work by NRCRI Umudike, Abia State, It has yielding potential of up to 25 tons per hectare compare with the low yielding variety of white fleshed of 5 ton/ha.
