Biofortified vitamin A “orange” maize can help address the adverse health effects of
vitamin A deficiency. By 2016, HarvestPlus and its partners had developed six orange
maize varieties and delivery efforts have reached more than 100,000 farming households
in Zambia. HarvestPlus has established the proof of concept, that vitamin A maize
varieties can be developed without compromising yield levels and that these varieties can
deliver sufficient quantities of vitamin A to improve nutrition. The delivery program has
also shown that farmers are willing to grow orange maize varieties and consumers are
willing to buy and eat orange maize products. This paper summarizes the country’s
nutritional and consumer backgrounds, the crop development and release of orange
maize varieties, the delivery efforts in Zambia and impact measurement. It also
synthesizes lessons learned and future challenges.