Introduction and cultivation of stevia ( stevia rebaudiana) in Nigeria

For achieving sustainable development goals in health and food security

Abstract

Increasing cases of diabetes mellitus at a very alarming rate globally have been a major concern at this present situation. This issue has become a subject of debate over the use of food substances with less or no calories to reduce the incidences of obesity and diabetes. Stevia rebaudiana is found to be a potential candidate which produce intensely sweet, non-caloric sweetener. The plant has the potential of replacing sugar as the leaves of the plant contain low-calorie but very effective glycosides (stevioside and rebaudioside). they are extracted as commercial products and are 300 to 320 times sweeter than sugar and can be safely used by diabetics. Nevertheless, most sugar consumers prefer low-calorie, natural sweeteners in their food to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, obesity, diabetes and tooth decay. This paper highlighted the cultivation of stevia rebaudiana through careful search of related literature on the subject. This paper is an attempt to look at the possibility of introducing and cultivating the crop in Nigeria to tapped the many benefits of the plant for economic growth, health benefits and food security. In the recent times the plant is acquiring consistently increasing economic interest because of the presence in its leaves a large number of sweet constituents. The extraction of sweeteners from stevia leaves is a growing business in industrial and commercial sectors worldwide. This paper is viewing the possibility of cultivating the product in Nigeria for revenue generation and improving health. cultivating stevia in Nigeria has the potential to foster economic development, promote environmental sustainability, improve public health, and contribute to the country's food security and agricultural diversification efforts.