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Combating Childhood Malnutrition with Iron Rich Pearl Millet
In Zimbabwe, Grow Further is partnering with ICRISAT and HarvestPlus to introduce iron rich, drought tolerant pearl millet varieties that can thrive in arid conditions while addressing widespread nutritional deficiencies. Within five years, the project aims to reach 100,000 smallholder farmers directly and improve the nutrition of hundreds of thousands of children and women.
Project Summary
Why Pearl Millet?
Pearl millet thrives in drylands but traditional varieties are low in nutrients and yields. Iron deficiency affects over 70 percent of children and women in Zimbabwe. Biofortified millet delivers more iron, better harvests, and stronger resilience to drought and poor soils.
Project Strategies
Growing Resilience and Nutrition from the Ground Up
Climate Resilience
Zimbabwe’s farmers are facing more frequent droughts and poor soil fertility. These improved millet varieties are bred to perform in tough conditions. Stronger crops mean more stable food supplies in a changing climate.
Nutrition First
This project directly targets iron deficiency, a leading cause of childhood malnutrition. The new millet has up to 110 ppm of iron, well above typical levels. Outreach efforts encourage families to include it in everyday diets.
From Testing to Adoption
Eight high-performing millet lines developed by ICRISAT are being tested across Zimbabwe. The best varieties will be released based on results and farmer feedback. Seeds will be multiplied and distributed with strong farmer and community engagement.
Reaching Farmers
The project supports the entire value chain. Improved seed will go to 100,000 farmers, with another 400,000 reached through informal sharing. Partnerships with seed companies, food processors, and cooperatives will support scale and sustainability.
Project Expectations
Grow Further’s Role
Grow Further is funding this five year initiative, supporting everything from field trials to public education. The grant covers variety testing, seed production, farmer training, and policy engagement. We are also planning for an independent impact evaluation once adoption is underway.
Project Details
Project Stakeholders and Collaborating Institutions
Grantee Institution
International Crops Research Institute for the Semi Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), in collaboration with:
- Crop Breeding Institute (CBI), Ministry of Agriculture, Zimbabwe
- HarvestPlus, a global biofortification initiative
Team
- Dr. Henry Ojulong, Principal Investigator, ICRISAT
- Sakile Kudita, Co Principal Investigator, HarvestPlus Zimbabwe
- Hapson Mushoriwa, Product Placement Lead, ICRISAT
- Mandlenkosi Dube, Co Investigator, CBI Zimbabwe
Key Partners
- ARDA Seeds: Seed multiplication and distribution
- Zimbabwe Nutrition Association: Nutritional outreach and education
- Food and Nutrition Council of Zimbabwe: Policy advocacy and integration
- Local Farmers’ Cooperatives: Farmer engagement and on ground implementation
