Assorted Nigerian crop seeds have been flown to space as part of the collaboration between Jaguar Space and the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) under the “Emerging Space Nations – Space for Agriculture and Agriculture for Space initiative.”

According to the NASRDA Director of Communication, Dr Felix Ale, in a note to The Guardian, the programme heralds Nigeria’s growing footprint in international space research, stressing that NASRDA is participating in the Crew-11 Mission, scheduled for launch today from the NASA Kennedy Space Centre, Cape Canaveral, Florida.

He said: “This mission carries the World Seeds Payload, a ground-breaking international agricultural experiment spearheaded by Jaguar Space, with contributions from eleven countries, including Nigeria.

“Nigeria’s contribution to the mission includes six indigenous crop seeds, namely okra, cowpea, Guinea corn (sorghum), amaranth, maize, and melon, selected for their nutritional and agricultural significance.

“These seeds will be studied aboard the International Space Station (ISS) to explore their behaviour under microgravity, contributing to research on climate resilience, food security, and the future of agriculture in space,” he explained.

According to Ale, the Assistant Director, International Cooperation & Linkages Department, Olayinka Fagbemiro, is representing NASRDA as the Project Lead for Nigeria on the initiative, adding that her responsibilities have spanned seed selection, documentation, logistics coordination, and institutional representation from the early planning stages through to the current launch phase.

“The seeds,” Ale added, “were delivered to the United States following the signing of a formal Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between NASRDA and Jaguar Space.

“This mission marks a historic first for NASRDA, with Nigeria’s biological payload flying aboard a crewed NASA mission to the ISS. It reinforces NASRDA’s commitment to applying space science toward sustainable development and global scientific cooperation.

“Participation in this project allows NASRDA to validate years of research on similar seeds conducted in simulated gravity by its Department of Physical and Life Sciences.

“The World Seeds Payload exemplifies inclusive, culturally-grounded space research, and highlights the leadership role that emerging space nations like Nigeria can play in shaping the future of humanity beyond Earth,” he stated.