IITA’s internationally recognized Aflasafe Initiative has made significant strides in developing and scaling the biocontrol-centric approach of integrated aflatoxin management system for improving health, trade, and income in Africa. In May and June, Aflasafe project scientists were invited to make keynote presentations on the work of the Aflasafe Team at two major international biocontrol events in Europe.
The French Priority Research Programme, Growing and Protecting Crops Differently (PPR-CPA), organized the International Scientific Workshop—Diversifying Business Models for Biocontrol Deployment—from 31 May to 2 June 2023. The hybrid event was held in the Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE), Paris and online.
Event participants discussed the diversity of business models used worldwide for the different types of biocontrol strategies (together with autocidal control and scouting activities supporting biocontrol). They analyzed their pros and cons, success stories (or useful failure stories), potential for wider deployment, and how public and private policies can facilitate their implementation.
Ranajit Bandyopadhyay, IITA Emeritus Scientist, presented the first of the three cases for business models used in biocontrol strategies based on repeated releases of organisms or substances. His presentation was titled “Diversifying Business Models for Biocontrol Deployment: Aflasafe.” After explaining the process of Aflasafe development and commercialization, Bandyopadhyay described the value proposition of the product; its unique features; gains from the technology; network of partners working on Aflasafe production and distribution, their motivation and contributions; contextual factors that favored the initiative; turning points in success and failure; major obstacles encountered; scientific controversies/debates; and challenges and risks.
The International Organization for Biological and Integrated Control, West Palaearctic Regional Section (IOBC-WPRS), organized the XVI Working Group meeting in Wageningen (The Netherlands) on 6-9 June 2023. The meeting aimed to discuss how biological control could contribute to the future transformation of our food production systems in a changing world.
During the opening session, IITA Senior Scientist Alejandro Ortega-Beltran gave the keynote presentation on biocontrol implementation in the real world. His presentation was on “Aflatoxin Biocontrol in Practice Requires a Multidisciplinary, Long-term Approach.” After highlighting the basics of the technology, Ortega-Beltran described the long road from discovery to large-scale usage, achievements so far, risks, and challenges. He emphasized the critical role of multidisciplinarity and partnerships, and a long-term vision for scaling aflatoxin biocontrol and successfully addressing the aflatoxin issue.
A lively discussion followed the presentation in which the Aflasafe approach from research to delivery was examined as an excellent example of large-scale implementation of biocontrol.
A downloadable PDF of the workshop proceedings is available.
Contributed by Alejandro Ortega-Beltran
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