The Technology Validation Committee
This is the TAAT Technology Validation Committee, which has responsibility for vetting and validating the technologies we offer in our e-catalogs.
An automated pre-validation step, based on Scaling Readiness, is used to confer the status of "Pre-validation" for technologies that are ready to scale: both in terms of maturity of the idea, and maturity of the level of use. But for a technology to be fully validated it will need to be reviewed by the Validation Committee which will decide, case-by-case whether technologies can be validated and promoted by TAAT.
To offer validated technologies in the e-catalogs, we recognize the need for flexibility in some cases, and in all cases the need for fairness and impartiality.
This is why the automated vetting needs to be validated by a committee of highly experienced specialists with in-depth knowledge of agricultural technologies and innovations, but neutral in terms of technology production.
The remit of the committee is to ensure that the information submitted in the database is trustworthy and to confirm (or question) the results of the Scaling Readiness score.
Members of the Committee
Dr. David Bergvinson
Dr. Bergvinson is the Senior Advisor to Dev.Global and Founder of BeSustainable.io to deliver science-based solutions to empower farmers. David’s knowledge of Dryland Agriculture (DG of ICRISAT), Digital Agriculture (initiated at BMGF in 2012) and weather insights (Chief Scientist for aWhere) enables him to work with diverse partners to deliver resilient and nutritious food systems across Africa. David's diverse experience in crop improvement, agronomy, pest and disease management, and policy formulation is now being leveraged to scale Regenerative Agriculture in Africa and North America to empower farmers to adapt to climate change and market variability while preserving soils and biodiversity in farming systems.
Dr. Stephen Mugo
Dr. Stephen Mugo is an expert in seed systems and sustainable agriculture with over 40 years of experience across Africa. Since 2020, he has been an independent consultant and Director at the Center for Resilient Agriculture for Africa (CRA-Africa), supporting projects in multiple African countries.
He previously served as CIMMYT Africa Regional Representative and Kenya Country Representative (2014–2020) and was a Principal Scientist and Maize Breeder at CIMMYT (1998-2020). Dr. Mugo has led major maize breeding projects focused on drought tolerance, insect resistance, and high yield, contributing to the release of over 30 improved varieties.
He holds a Ph.D. in Plant Breeding and Genetics from Cornell University and degrees from the University of Missouri, USA and the University of Nairobi, Kenya. Dr. Mugo is committed to advancing resilient agriculture and empowering smallholder farmers across Africa.
Dr. Chiji Ojukwu
Dr. Ojukwu is Managing Director, Africa Projects Development Centre (APDC) Abuja, a youth-run organization for youth and women empowerment through training and incubation in agribusiness and creative arts. He is skilled in policy analysis, strategic planning, international development finance, and programme management.
He served at the African Development Bank (AfDB) for 21 years rising to the position of Regional Director for seven Southern African and Indian Ocean Island Countries before retiring in 2018 as the Director, Agriculture & Agroindustry Department. Dr. Chiji led the approval of the AfDB Feed Africa Strategy and spearheaded the establishment of key flagship programmes, including the Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation (TAAT), the ENABLE Youth Programme, the Leadership for African Agriculture (L4Ag) Initiative, among others, which have fostered agricultural transformation and brought many African youths and women into agriculture as a career choice. Since retiring from the AfDB, Dr. Chiji established the APDC in Abuja, where the Centre has empowered over 3,000 youths and women in agribusiness and the agro-food sector and over 100 women in the Fashion and Creative Arts industry (Fashionistas) and employs close to 60 youths.
Dr. Chiji Ojukwu has a BSc. in Agriculture from the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria, and MSc. and PhD. in Development Economics & Project Planning from the University of Bradford, UK.
Dr. Eugene Terry
Eugene Terry joined the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) in Ibadan, in 1973 as a Plant Pathologist with the Root and Tuber Crops Improvement Program rising to the position of Director Internationals and Training. He was invited to join the West Africa Rice Development Association (WARDA) in 1987 to lead the transformation of this regional Rice Testing Association into a full fledged CGIAR Research Centre.
Eugene retired from the position of Director General of WARDA to join the Rural Development and Agriculture Division of the World Bank in 1997. He was then invited in 2003 to take on the position of Founding (Implementing) Director of the African Agriculture Technology Foundation dedicated to the development and transfer of Agricultural technologies for African Farming systems.
Eugene has served on various Advisory boards of directors dedicated to providing guidance and leadership in agricultural research, development and training for African agricultural scientists.
H.E. Rhoda Tumusiime
H.E. Rhoda Tumusiime is a distinguished leader with over 30 years of expertise driving transformative development across Africa, with a focus on rural advancement, agricultural innovation, gender equity, and sustainable economic growth. She holds a Master’s Degree in Economics, Planning, and Managing Rural Development and served as Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture at the African Union from 2008 to 2017. In this role, she oversaw critical sectors, including crop agriculture, livestock, fisheries, forestry, land, water, environmental conservation, climate change, disaster risk reduction, and rural development. Her strategic vision and commitment to addressing Africa’s food and nutrition security challenges have been instrumental in shaping policies that enhance resilience and self-sufficiency across the continent.
With a proven track record of securing multi-million-dollar funding for impactful development projects, she has driven high-level policy initiatives and fostered powerful international partnerships, advocating for systemic change at global forums such as the G8 and G20. Known for her dedication to youth and women’s empowerment in agribusiness, she champions the establishment of incubation and innovation centers to foster inclusive growth. Currently, she serves as the Executive Director of HOPE (Household Opportunities for Poverty Eradication), an organization that supports environmentally sustainable, and agriculture-based innovations in Ugandan communities. She also holds board positions in several international organizations, bringing her deep strategic insight, visionary leadership, and unwavering commitment to the sustainable transformation of global food systems.
Featured technologies
Strong Against Disease, Hot on the Market. This group of long pepper varieties are high-yielding, disease-resistant pepper varieties developed by the World Vegetable Center, designed for hot, disease-prone regions like the Sudan and Northern Guinea Savannas. It offers a yield potential of up to 6.78 tons per hectare, strong resistance to major diseases, and nutritional benefits such as medium spiciness, high Vitamin C, and capsaicin. By promoting stable harvests and sustainable farming practices, PS PEP 1 enhances food security and farmer livelihoods in challenging environments.
Biochar, a powerfully circular way to fight climate change Africa faces a dual challenge: degraded soils and limited energy access. Over 40% of the continent’s soils have poor structure and low nutrient reserves, making them unable to retain water or fertilisers effectively. Most farmers can afford only 20 kg of fertiliser per hectare—well below the global average of 135 kg—and much of it is lost due to poor soil retention, driving up production costs and reducing yields. At the same time, 70% of the population in sub-Saharan Africa depends on biomass like firewood and charcoal for cooking, leading to deforestation and environmental degradation. These intertwined issues threaten national food security, energy sustainability, and climate resilience. Biochar offers a strategic, climate-smart solution that improves soil fertility, enhances fertiliser efficiency, reduces reliance on forest biomass, and captures carbon. Supporting biochar initiatives could strengthen agricultural productivity while meeting national climate and energy goals.
Low cost fertilizer for healthy and profitable agriculture for African farmers. In Sub-Saharan Africa, farmers face significant challenges such as declining soil fertility, limited access to quality fertilizers, and the high cost of agricultural inputs, all of which affect crop yields and food security. The BSFF technology presents a promising solution to these challenges. It contains high levels of essential nutrients like nitrogen (1.7–1.9%), phosphorus (1.0–2.5%), potassium, and various micronutrients that significantly improve soil fertility. This technology can help farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa increase productivity, improve food security, and promote environmentally sustainable agriculture.