Farmers in Nigeria participating in the biocontrol of aflatoxins using Aflasafe™— a fungus-based biocontrol product developed by IITA— say the quality of their maize grains has significantly improved after the product’s application in their fields.
“With the application of Aflasafe™, my maize cobs are cleaner,” attested Christie Kpatuwak, a maize farmer in Kaduna State, who is among many that are participating in the field testing of Aflasafe™.
Another farmer, Sanusi Liman of Zaria, adds: “Since the application of Aflasafe™, the quality of my maize have really improved, with cleaner seeds. The seeds do not have disease on them as before.”
The trials, which are being conducted on about 85 hectares of farml ands across Nigeria, are coordinated by the Kaduna State Agriculture Development Program and funded by the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF) and European Union’s MycoRed project.
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) see the improvement in grain quality as a welcome development. It adds that reducing aflatoxins in grains will benefit the country in many ways including improved health and incomes.
“We are impressed with the results on the field and a final analysis is under way. A reduction in aflatoxin contamination means better food and health for the farmers,” says Ranajit B andyopadhyay, IITA Pathologist, who is leading the trials.
Produced mainly by the fungus Aspergillus flavus in maize, groundnuts, cassava, and yam chips, aflatoxins are potent causes of cancer and they also suppress the immune system causing humans and animals (through feeds) to be more susceptible to diseases.
Economically, high levels of aflatoxins contamination in agricultural products act as international trade barriers with global trade losses estimated at US$1.2 billion annually.
Aflasafe™ was developed by IITA in partnership with the Agriculture Research Service of the United States Department of Agriculture and the University of Ibadan. The product contains non-toxic strains of the A. flavus fungus commonly found in Nigeria. Aflasafe™ is a registered trademark of IITA.
###
Pour plus d'informations, veuillez contacter :
Dr Ranajit B andyopadhyay, r.b andyopadhyay@cgiar.org
Pathologist
IITA-Ibadan
Jeffrey T. Oliver, o.jeffrey@cgiar.org
Chargé de communication d'entreprise (international)
Godwin Atser, g.atser@cgiar.org
Chargé de la communication d'entreprise (Afrique de l'Ouest)
Bureau de la communication
IITA – Siège
Ibadan, Nigéria
URL : www.iita.org
À propos de l'IITA
L'Afrique est confrontée à des problèmes complexes qui minent l'agriculture et la vie des populations. Nous développons des solutions agricoles avec nos partenaires pour lutter contre la faim et la pauvreté. Nos recherches pour le développement (R4D), maintes fois récompensées, reposent sur une réflexion ciblée et autorisée, ancrée dans les besoins de développement de l'Afrique subsaharienne. Nous travaillons avec des partenaires en Afrique et au-delà pour réduire les risques pour les producteurs et les consommateurs, améliorer la qualité et la productivité des cultures, et générer de la richesse grâce à l'agriculture. L'IITA est une organisation internationale de R4D à but non lucratif créée en 1967, dirigée par un Conseil d'administration et soutenue principalement par le CGIAR.
Contribué par
Histoires récentes