IITA, FG Urge Maize, Groundnut Farmers To Use Aflasafe To Boost Access To Market

The International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA) and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has advised maize and groundnut farmers to use Aflasafe technology to control aflatoxin. 

RECOMMENDED: Click here to Read more updates on Boki first online magazine

Aflasafe is a biological control product designed to effectively reduce Aflatoxin in the field. It displaces toxin-producing fungi at source, provides protection during storage, and throughout the value chain. 

The technology is developed by IITA in collaboration with the Agricultural Research Service of the United States Department of Agriculture, University of Bonn, Germany and the University of Ibadan. 

Speaking at a one-day national stakeholder engagement workshop on Aflatoxin management and adoption of Aflasafe for safe food production in Abuja, Mr Peter Okomoh, the Commercialization Manager of the IITA said aflatoxin has been the major problem affecting food security across Africa. 

To address the problem, the organization worked with the United State Department of Agriculture and other agencies to come up with the technology to address these food safety issues, which according proved to be very effective. 

The technology is handed over to Harvest Field limited for commercialization. Mr Martins Aderimi, the Managing Director of Harvest Field Industries Limited who is the manufacturers of the Aflasafe said that aflatoxin has reduced the number of exportable products from the country. 

“That is what is stopping our maize and groundnut been exported. That is why we cannot have groundnut pyramid again. But with aflasafe, which will reduce the aflatoxin levels in those crops, Nigeria can come back to the export market easily now,” he said. 

He said the company has so far produced over 1500 metric tonnes according to the business plan signed with IITA adding that the only problem was the issue of adoption of the product by farmers.

A farmer, James Kolo, the Zonal Coordinator Maize Association of Nigeria (MAAN), North-central worries that for sometimes now the farmers have a serious challenge  because when they produce maize, the poultry, and fish farmers including  the breweries complained that the maize we produce has a high concentrate of aflatoxins, which affect their farms. 

Mr Kolo said even the maize produced last year has not been sold to major processors or even exported out of the country because of aflatoxins issues. “As I’m speaking with you we have on ground-from last year anchor borrower programme, over 10,000 metric tonnes of maize that have been returned as payment by farmers but we have been able to sell it,” he stated. 

Similarly, Adebiyi Adebayo, the national secretary of groundnut farmers of Nigeria said aflasafe is much in groundnut and is given the association much concern because  its affect the income of the farmers. 

He said they cannot export or sell at a premium price adding that “you sell at a giveaway price this is how it affect the farmers.” With aflasafe, the level of aflatoxin in these crops will be minimized and farmers can get a premium price for their products because it will address the concerns of other stakeholders in the value chain. 

Read Original Post On DAILY TRUST