Can biofortification improve  nigerian women's diets?  case study using the 2021 national food consumption and micronutrient  survey

Lungaho, M.; Aiyedun, K.; Tonnang, H.

Can biofortification improve nigerian women's diets? case study using the 2021 national food consumption and micronutrient survey

Autores

Lungaho, M.

Aiyedun, K.

Tonnang, H.

Descripción

Micronutrient inadequacy remains widespread among women in Nigeria, despite diverse food cultures and decades of nutrition-focused interventions. Drawing on dietary intake data from the 2021 Nigeria National Food Consumption and Micronutrient Survey (NFCMS), this analysis examines the structure of women’s diets and evaluates the potential of biofortification across staple crops and animal- and aquatic-source foods to improve dietary adequacy. This brief synthesizes and interprets existing NFCMS analyses to inform strategic investment dialogue; it does not present new primary statistical modeling. Analysis of 654 commonly consumed recipes shows that Nigerian diets are culinarily diverse but structurally anchored in a small number of staples. Roots, tubers, cereals, and their processed products provide most dietary energy, while vegetables, spices, and oils drive recipe diversity. Animal and aquatic-source foods are incorporated in small quantities, primarily through dried fish and crayfish added to soups and stews. As a result, diets are energy-sufficient but micronutrient-poor. Nutrient inadequacy is severe for folate (94.9%), calcium (94.5%), and riboflavin (83.3%), and moderate for vitamin B12 (54.2%), reflecting the limited contribution of animal-source foods. Swap-in modeling suggests that replacing conventional staples with biofortified varieties could substantially reduce iron and zinc inadequacy and modestly reduce vitamin A inadequacy under best-case assumptions. However, crop biofortification alone cannot address the most severe gaps, particularly calcium and B vitamins. The findings of this analytical brief suggest that integrated strategies combining biofortified staples with animal- and aquatic-source foods may offer the greatest potential to contribute to addressing persistent micronutrient gaps at scale.