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

Positive or neutral impact

Adults 18 and over: Positive high
The poor: Positive medium
Under 18: Positive high
Women: Positive high

Positive or neutral impact

Climate adaptability: It adapts really well
Adaptability for farmers: It helps a lot
Biodiversity: It helps them grow and thrive
Environment: It makes a big difference
Soil quality: It makes the soil healthier and more fertile
Water usage: It uses the same amount of water

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 ORG TEXT

ORG specific text

In the meantime, use the “Request information” button if you need to contact us.

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

Goal 3: good health and well-being

Goal 15: life on land

Goal 17: partnerships for the goals

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.