IITA, Partners Launch Initiatives to Tackle Killer Aflatoxin in African Crops
June 24, 2011| |
A new strategy in combating the aflatoxin-causing fungus Aspergillus flavus was recently launched in Nigeria. The project funded by Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation aims to develop a biocontrol technology that includes the introduction of strains of the non-toxic fungus in the affected fields to outcompete and reduce the population of the toxic ones.
Aflatoxin contamination in Nigeria and Kenya has reached a record high, and since 2004, nearly 150 people have died after eating contaminated maize. Millions of bags of contaminated maize has been taking up storage and disposing them has also become a problem.
"This project will take our biocontrol product, commercialize it, and make it available to farmers. We have worked on it for many years, tested it in many fields in Nigeria and we are pleased with its effectiveness,"said Paula Bramel, IITA Deputy Director General, Research for Development of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture.
Check http://www.iita.org/news-frontpage-feature2 for details.
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