HarvestPlus leads the coordination of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)’s fast expanding biofortification program—an important example of how nutrition-smart agriculture can address persistent food and nutrition security challenges in fragile and underdeveloped market systems. One notable example is HarvestPlus’ technical assistance project supported by the Government of Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the World Bank under the Multisectoral Nutrition and Health Program (PMNS). 

This multisectoral collaboration brings together key actors, including the Ministries of Public Health and Agriculture, the National Institute of Agricultural Studies and Research (INERA), the National Seed Service (SENASEM), CGIAR centers, seed and food companies, and farmer organizations. Together, they are catalyzing meaningful impact across seed and food value chains with a diverse range of nutritious crops.

The project focuses on vulnerable populations by promoting nutritious crop value chains such as vitamin A enriched maize, cassava, sweet potatoes, cowpea and iron beans. The project’s development objective is to improve the use of high-impact, nutrition-specific, and nutrition-smart interventions across the provinces of Kasai-Central, Kasai, Kwilu, and South Kivu. HarvestPlus provided technical assistance to support the delivery of biofortified seed and planting materials, agricultural extension, nutrition education, agro-dealers training, grain aggregation, processors capacity building, and market linkages development.

Delivering Impact Amid Challenges

Despite poor road conditions and security issues in eastern DRC and the overall fragility of the local seed systems, the project made remarkable strides. Nearly 100,000 farming households—representing approximately 500,000 on-farm consumers—were reached by the end of the initial project period.

Province and crop wise outreach

• Kasai: 28,098 households reached out of 30,000 targeted
• Kwilu: 27,500 households reached out of 30,000 targeted
• South Kivu: 40,474 households reached out of 40,000 targeted 
• Vitamin A orange maize: 81,256 households
• Iron beans: 40,474 households 
• Orange-fleshed sweet potatoes: 21,603 households
• Vitamin A cassava: 7,757 households
• Cowpea: 6,298 households

As a government-led initiative, we are very impressed by the tangible results this project is delivering in the agriculture sector. Partnering with HarvestPlus has been the perfect choice—their expertise and commitment have helped us achieve key objectives. This multisectoral project recognizes that nutrition and health begin with agriculture. The biofortified seeds we distribute—rich in iron, zinc, and vitamin A—are a vital step in improving child nutrition in our communities.” — Basimika Riziki Esther Head of Agriculture Division, South Kivu

Strengthening the Public and Private Sector to Scale Seed Supply

To ensure lasting impact, HarvestPlus and its partners trained over 1,200 stakeholders, including extension officers, researchers, agro-dealers, civil society organizations, and farmers, through hands-on training and field visits. This capacity-building effort paved the way for new crop varieties to be released and introduced in the community. Recognizing the fragility of seed systems in the DRC and similar markets, the project prioritized building the capacity of seed companies and training their outgrowers—a critical step in ensuring a functioning biofortified seed system that allowed broad access to quality nutritious seeds. 

Thanks to this project, I accessed quality seeds for the first time, which significantly improved my harvest and increased my income. We are truly grateful to those who brought this project to our community and thought of farmers like us.” — Joelle Kulimushi Farmer, Bunyunyu Village, South Kivu

Developing an Ecosystem that Understand and Prioritizes Nutrition 

To ensure biofortified crops are both grown and consumed, the project implemented a nutrition education and advocacy strategy, emphasizing community-level awareness. Through partnerships with local NGOs and health centers, over 548 community health workers were trained as nutrition champions. These champions led community meetings, cooking demonstrations, and home visits, promoting the benefits of biofortified foods. Although a detailed adoption study is pending, preliminary findings suggest that over 500,000 people may now have access to and benefit from these foods.

At the policy level, HarvestPlus supported the development of standards for biofortified crops in collaboration with the Ministry of Industry and the National Office for Standardization to facilitate the commercialization of nutrient-rich foods in local and national markets. Additionally, the project partnered with the National Nutrition Program (PRONANUT) to revise and enrich public food recipe documents, incorporating biofortified ingredients to promote healthier meals nationwide.

To strengthen the country’s scientific capacity, HarvestPlus is supporting the establishment of a micronutrient analysis laboratory at INERA. This lab will play a crucial role in testing iron, zinc, and vitamin A levels in crop varieties, informing future breeding and release decisions. Renovation work is currently underway, and equipment procurement is in progress.

Looking Ahead: New Crop Varieties on the Horizon

The project’s innovation pipeline continues to grow. In partnership with INERA, we are supporting the release of new, high-performing biofortified crop varieties. Currently, over 21 candidate varieties of vitamin A maize, iron beans, vitamin A cassava, and orange-fleshed sweet potatoes are undergoing testing and evaluation. These new varieties will further strengthen food security and resilience in the country.

This project has established a strong foundation for long-term change. With better harvests, stronger supply chains, and more informed consumers, DRC’s farming families have a well-proven solution—biofortification—to improve their health and livelihoods. As the country continues to combat malnutrition, these achievements serve as both milestones and a model for sustainable, nutrition-driven development.