Orange maize differs from yellow maize. Unlike yellow and white maize, orange maize contains compounds that turn into vitamin A in our bodies once the maize is consumed. Besides energy-giving calories, orange maize also provides additional nutrients that one can get from crops such as carrots, pawpaws, mangos and green vegetables. Orange maize contains four types of carotenoids, two of which are precursors to vitamin A.

Orange maize was developed specifically to address the public health problem of vitamin A deficiency in the population. Many people in Zambia suffer from vitamin A deficiency without knowing it, hence referred to as ‘hidden hunger’, which presents itself through poor eyesight, weak immune system resulting in constant illnesses and slow recovery from illness, poor skin quality and contributes to poor performance of children at school and adults at work. Mothers may have difficulties in child-bearing.

Consistent consumption of orange maize has been proven to increase the amount of vitamin A in the blood, the amount of vitamin A in breastmilk, and a marked improvement in eye response to light. The studies that show these findings where made in Zambia among children under 5 years and lactating mothers.

Many people testify that orange maize tastes better than white and yellow maize. It is particularly sweeter when fresh and a suitable product for fresh maize markets.

Orange maize was introduced in Zambia from 2012, with the support of the Zambian government. The Zambia Agricultural Research Institute (ZARI), an arm of the Ministry of Agriculture, took the lead in developing suitable varieties for Zambia.

Vitamin A orange maize is conventionally bred, using traditional plant breeding methods of crossing maize germplasm naturally rich in vitamin A compounds with other germplasm to get the desired traits, such as drought tolerance, pest and disease resistance. This means orange maize is not a GMO.

Four different varieties of orange maize are available on the market. These include GV662A sold by Kamano Seed, GV664A sold by Zamseed, GV665A sold by SeedCO and GV672A sold by Afriseed.

Methods for growing orange maize are exactly the same as those for growing white maize. Production costs are the same as for white maize.

Vitamin A orange maize matures early within three to four months and withstands harsh conditions. Under good management, orange maize provides up to three cobs on each plant.

Orange maize is rapidly gaining popularity in many other countries such as Zimbabwe, Malawi and Nigeria. Now that you know, make that choice. Eat orange maize. Vitamin A makes the difference!

E-mail Eliab Simpungwe at E.Simpungwe@CGIAR.ORG to find out more about this magnificent maize variety.

Your orange maize seed can be obtained countrywide. Look out for the distinctive green bags.

Mushe Milling are a proud distributor of orange maize.

Kamano Seed are a of the proud distributor of orange maize.