Aflasafe®: Aflatoxin management

Aflatoxin-safe fields and crops for safer food in Africa

Aflasafe® is a biocontrol technology for aflatoxins management that uses harmless types of the fungus Aspergilus flavus which do not and cannot produce the toxins. The atoxigenic fungi are coated onto ordinary sorghum grain for transferring these innovative biocontrol agents to farmers’ fields. A blue food coloring dye is added to distinguish Aflasafe ® from other sorghum for food or feed use.

This technology is TAAT1 validated.

8•9

Scaling readiness: idea maturity 8/9; level of use 9/9

Adults 18 and over: Positive high

They benefit economically from the increased yield and market access facilitated by Aflasafe.

The poor: Positive medium

By helping increase yields and access to higher-value markets and ensuring that crops meet the necessary quality standards.

Under 18: Positive high

By helping ensure safer food, lowering the risk of stunting, liver damage, and other health issues related to aflatoxin exposure.

Women: Positive high

By enhancing the role of women in agriculture, providing them with greater economic opportunities and improving family well-being.

Climate adaptability: Highly adaptable

By improving crop quality and reducing losses, Aflasafe contributes to food security in regions facing changing climate conditions.

Farmer climate change readiness: Significant improvement

By improving crop quality and reducing aflatoxin contamination, Aflasafe helps farmers improve productivity even in suboptimal conditions.

Biodiversity: Positive impact on biodiversity

By reducing pesticide use, Aflasafe supports a healthier agroecosystem, promoting biodiversity in agricultural landscapes.

Environmental health: Greatly improves environmental health

Soil quality: Improves soil health and fertility

By reducing the need for chemical inputs, which can degrade soil quality over time.

Problem

Aflatoxin Contamination: Widespread and severe contamination of staple crops, animal feeds, and processed foods across Africa with aflatoxin, a highly toxic and cancer-causing poison.
Health Impacts: Consumption of contaminated food by humans and livestock leads to serious health issues, including liver cancer, weakened immunity, growth stunting, and organ damage.
Economic Impact: Aflatoxin contamination makes food unfit for consumption and trade, resulting in significant economic losses.
Food Safety: Ensuring safe and toxin-free food for both human and animal consumption is a challenge.

Solution

Aflasafe® Biocontrol: Aflasafe® is a natural biocontrol technology that uses harmless strains of Aspergillus flavus to outcompete poisonous strains, preventing aflatoxin production.
Safe and Cost-effective: Aflasafe® offers a safe and cost-effective solution for reducing aflatoxin levels in food.
Local Adaptation: The technology is well adapted to African conditions, including heat and drought, and uses native atoxigenic fungal strains.
Collaborative Screening: Aflasafe® products are developed through extensive field testing and screening, selecting strains that effectively reduce aflatoxin.
Preventing Contamination: Aflasafe® stops aflatoxin contamination at various stages, including transportation, storage, and processing, ensuring safer food supply chains.

Key points to design your project

This technology serves as a transformative solution. It is easy to use and beneficial for the producer and it offers an eco-friendly alternative to using pesticides. In addition, it supports the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by tackling hunger and improving the health of users.

To integrate this technology into your project, and create a list of project activities and prerequisites and plan these activities:

- Considering the technology cost of 12 to 20 USD per Ha and a requirement of 10 kg per ha, estimate the quantity of products needed for your project.

- Consider also the place of supply and include the delivery cost to the project site and account for import clearance and duties if relevant.

A team of trainers could provide training and support during project installation. Include the cost for training and post-training support for using the technology.

Communication support for the technology should be developed (flyers, videos, radio broadcasts, etc.)

For better optimization of the improved maize variety, it is recommended to associate with other post-harvest practices such as proper drying and storage.

To implement the technology in your country, you could collaborate with agricultural development institutes and agro-dealers.

Cost: $$$ 12 - 20 USD

per Ha

ROI: $$$ 16 %

Increase in income

10 kg/ha

Recommended dosage application

4 kg/acre

Recommended dosage application

IP

Trademark

Countries with a green colour: Tested & adopted
Countries with a bright green colour: Adopted
Countries with a yellow colour: Tested

Countries where the technology has been tested and adopted
Country	Tested	Adopted
Burkina Faso	Tested	Adopted
Burundi	Tested	–Not adopted
Democratic Republic of the Congo	Tested	–Not adopted
Gambia	Tested	Adopted
Ghana	Tested	Adopted
Kenya	Tested	Adopted
Malawi	Tested	Adopted
Mali	Tested	Adopted
Mozambique	Tested	Adopted
Niger	Tested	–Not adopted
Nigeria	Tested	Adopted
Rwanda	Tested	–Not adopted
Senegal	Tested	Adopted
Sudan	Tested	–Not adopted
Tanzania	Tested	Adopted
Togo	Tested	–Not adopted
Uganda	Tested	–Not adopted
Zambia	Tested	–Not adopted

This technology can be used in the colored agro-ecological zones. Any zones shown in white are not suitable for this technology.

Agro-ecological zones where this technology can be used
AEZ	Subtropic - cool	Tropic - cool
Arid
Semiarid
Subhumid	–	–
Humid	–	–

Source: HarvestChoice/IFPRI 2009

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals that are applicable to this technology.

Goal 2: zero hunger

By preventing crop losses due to aflatoxin contamination, Aflasafe boosts the productivity of smallholder farmers, supporting food availability and access in rural areas.

Goal 3: good health and well-being

Through the reduction of aflatoxin levels, Aflasafe lowers the incidence of foodborne diseases, improving the health and well-being of communities

Goal 15: life on land

By reducing the need for chemical pesticides, Aflasafe helps protect soil and water ecosystems, reducing pollution and promoting healthier agricultural landscapes.

Aflasafe® should be applied 2-3 weeks before the flowering stage of crops.
It can be spread by hand, using tractor-mounted spinners.
Timely application is crucial to prevent poisonous fungi from establishing.
Farmers must monitor crop growth to determine the flowering stage accurately.
Aflasafe® application should align with rainfall and moist soil for effective establishment of the atoxigenic fungi.
Aflasafe® is more effective when combined with good agricultural, harvest, and postharvest practices.