Good news for maize farmers in Kenya and indeed the whole country! An innovative, safe, and effective technology for controlling aflatoxin contamination was officially launched today, paving the way for its production and distribution. The technology, known as aflasafe KE01TM, has proven effective in reducing aflatoxin contamination by 70 – 80% in trials in farmers’ fields across various parts of the country.
The technology was officially launched by Dr. Eliud Kireger, Director General, Kenya Agricultural Research Organization (KALRO) at a ceremony at KALRO attended by policy makers, researchers, development partners, non-governmental organizations, private sector partners, and representatives from the farming community from within and outside of the country. The launch ceremony was followed by a business meeting to entice the private sector to invest in the technology to ensure its sustainable production and distribution to the farming community.
Speaking at the event Kireger said he considered this a very important development for the Kenyan people, especially the farming community. He noted that aflatoxins are a major challenge to maize production in the country and its efforts to secure food supplies and improve the health and well-being of its people.
“The aflasafe technology could not have come at a more opportune time. Climate change and the accompanying extreme weather conditions, from drought to too much rain, are not only threats to food security but they also create favorable conditions for the mold that produces aflatoxin and increase in aflatoxin contamination,” he said.
At the launch, Kireger said that the adoption of this biocontrol technology with other management practices by farmers will reduce aflatoxin contamination by over 70% in maize and groundnut, increase crop value by at least 5%, and improve the health of children and women.
“High levels of aflatoxin in maize—far above acceptable levels—have forced regulators to remove maize grain and prevent it from entering the food/feed chain leading to food insecurity and increase in food prices. aflasafe KE01TM is a safe and effective solution to this challenge.
Aflatoxin, a carcinogenic toxin that has serious negative consequences on health, trade, and food security, is mainly produced by a fungus scientifically known as Aspergillus flavus. However, not all strains of the fungus produce the toxins. The biocontrol technology is made up of strains of the non-toxic fungus, which when introduced into the fields, outcompete and reduce the population of the toxic ones, therefore drastically reducing contamination.
The technology was first developed by the United States Department of Agriculture–Agriculture Research Services (USDA–ARS). KALRO and the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) partnered with USDA–ARS and many other international and national partners to adapt and improve the Technology to Kenya using locally sourced strains of the atoxigenic fungus.
aflasafe KE01TM was registered by KALRO, on behalf of the partners, with the Pest Control Products Board (PCPB) on 29 June 2015. IITA and KALRO are also constructing a modular plant to manufacture the product at KALRO Katumani. Early this month, Kireger and IITA Director General Nteranya Sanginga signed a Technology Transfer and Licensing Agreement on aflasafe KE01TM.
“We anticipate completing the construction of the modular plant to manufacture aflasafe KE01TM at the end of the year and start production so farmers can have the product for the 2017 cropping season. This is the second plant in Africa; the first is at IITA Headquarters in Ibadan, Nigeria. It is our wish to see this product widely distributed to all the major maize-growing regions in the country to make sure all the maize is safe for the people of Kenya,” said Leena Tripathi, IITA Country Coordinator, also speaking at the event.
The launch and subsequent business meeting were organized under the Aflasafe Technology Transfer and Commercialization (ATTC) project led by IITA. The project is designed to carefully but efficiently identify strategic options for partnership with private companies or government entities, execute those partnerships, and help ensure that aflasafe products reach millions of farmers.
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“This business meeting is the starting point of the commercialization of the product in Kenya to benefit farmers. We look forward to partnering with both the private and public sectors to ensure the production and wide distribution of the product in the country,” said Abdou Konlambigue, the Managing Director of the ATTC.
This 5-year project funded jointly by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation covers 11 countries where aflasafe is, or will soon likely to be a nationally registered product: Burkina Faso, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, The Gambia, Ug anda, and Zambia.
About KALRO
Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO) is a corporate body created under the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Act of 2013 to establish suitable legal and institutional framework for coordination of agricultural research in Kenya to promote, streamline, coordinate and regulate research in crops, livestock, genetic resources, and biotechnology in Kenya, and expedite equitable access to research information, resources and technology, and promote the application of research findings and technology in the field of agriculture. www.kalro.org
About IITA
The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) is one of the world’s leading research partners in finding solutions for hunger, malnutrition, and poverty. Its award-winning research-for-development (R4D) approach addresses the development needs of tropical countries. IITA works with partners to enhance crop quality and productivity, reduce producer and consumer risks, and generate wealth from agriculture. IITA is a non-profit organization founded in 1967 in Nigeria and governed by a Board of Trustees. IITA works on the following crops: cowpea, soybean, banana/plantain, yam, cassava, and maize. It is a member of CGIAR, a global agriculture research partnership for a food secure future. www.iita.org
Contacts:
IITA
Abdou Konlambigue, Managing Director, Aflasafe Technology Transfer and Commercialization (ATTC) project, m.konlambigue@cgiar.org
Katherine Lopez, Head of Communication, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, k.lopez@cgiar.org
KALRO
Florida Maritim, Deputy Manager, Corporate Communications, Kenya Agriculture and Livestock Organization, florida.maritim@kalro.org
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