NASA to study Nigerian crops in space for climate, food security research

International astronauts aboard NASA’s upcoming Crew-11 Mission will study six indigenous Nigerian crops to understand their response to climate change and their potential for space agriculture.

The selected crops—okra, cowpea, Guinea corn (sorghum), amaranth, maize, and melon—will be grown and observed aboard the International Space Station (ISS) to examine their behaviour in microgravity.

The research aims to contribute to global efforts on climate resilience, food security, and agricultural sustainability beyond Earth.

Felix Ale, director of media and corporate communications at the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA), announced the development on Thursday in a statement issued in Abuja.

According to Ale, the seeds are part of the World Seeds Payload, an international agricultural experiment spearheaded by Jaguar Space in partnership with space agencies from 11 emerging space-faring nations, including Nigeria.

“The mission carries the World Seeds Payload, a groundbreaking international agricultural experiment. Nigeria’s contribution includes six indigenous crop seeds, selected for their nutritional and agricultural importance,” he said.

“These seeds will be studied under microgravity to provide insights into their growth patterns and potential applications in future space farming.”

Ale said the seeds were delivered to the United States following the signing of a memorandum of understanding between NASRDA and Jaguar Space, a bioastronautics and space consulting firm.

He added that this marks Nigeria’s first participation in a crewed NASA mission with a biological payload, describing it as a milestone in the country’s scientific journey.

“It reinforces NASRDA’s commitment to applying space science for sustainable development and strengthening global scientific cooperation,” he said.

“The participation also offers an opportunity to validate previous gravity simulation experiments conducted by NASRDA using similar crops, now in a real space environment.”

Beyond science, Ale noted that the mission carries cultural significance.

“The inclusion of culturally relevant African crops ensures that space exploration reflects diverse human experiences. This makes the World Seeds Payload both a scientific experiment and a cultural statement,” he said.

He said the Crew-11 mission, scheduled to launch from Kennedy Space Centre in Florida, is expected to reach the ISS within 24 hours of take-off, after which observations will commence.

Ale added that Olayinka Fagbemiro, assistant director of NASRDA’s international cooperation and linkages department, is the project lead for Nigeria and will represent the agency at the launch event.

“This mission highlights the increasing democratisation of space. Nigeria’s involvement signals a future where African innovation plays a meaningful role in shaping humanity’s journey beyond Earth,” he said.