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In a significant stride towards combating malnutrition and food insecurity, the Honourable Minister for Agriculture and Food Security in Nigeria, Senator Abubakar Kyari, has announced the official release of Africa’s first zinc-enriched rice varieties, FARO 71 and FARO 72. This announcement was made during a press briefing at the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (FMAFS) in Abuja on 28 April 2025.

Nigeria’s rice production has declined to 8.3 million tonnes for the 2024/2025 cycle, down from 8.9 million tonnes the previous year despite ongoing government efforts to boost agricultural output.

More than anywhere else in the world, rice, the most widely consumed staple food in the world dominates overall crop and overall food consumption (measured by the share of rice in total caloric intake) in Asia.