Nairobi. Today, all roads lead to the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO) Centre at Katumani, in Machakos, Kenya, to launch a laboratory for research and building capacity for managing mycotoxins (poisonous substances produced on different crops by different fungi) in the region.
At the same time there will be a ground breaking ceremony for the construction a modular (small-scale) plant to manufacture aflasafeKE01―a biological product to control aflatoxin which is one of the most prevalent mycotoxins in the region.
The ceremony will be officiated by the Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries Development, Hon. Felix K. Koskei. Also in attendance will be the IITA Director General, Dr Nteranya Sanginga and representatives of the many partners involved in the initiative as well as farmers in the region.
The laboratory is a result of a partnership between KARLO, the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), the United States Department of Agriculture-Agriculture Research Services (USDA-ARS), and other development partners.
AflasafeKe01 was developed in partnership with KARLO, IITA, USDA-ARS, the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF), ACDI-VOCA, and the National Irrigation Board (NIB) for managing aflatoxin in Kenya. The Pest Control Products Board (PCPB) has issued a provisional registration with KALRO as the registrant.
The modular facility will also be used to produce inoculum for research in the region. It is hoped that the modular facility will serve as an incubator of the technology to attract the private sector that will be ultimately responsible for wide-scale production and distribution of the product.The modular facility will also be used to produce inoculum for research in the region. It is hoped that the modular facility will serve as an incubator of the technology to attract the private sector that will be ultimately responsible for wide-scale production and distribution of the product.
Aflatoxin is produced by a fungus scientifically known as Aspergillus flavus. However, not all strains of the fungus produce the toxins. The biocontrol technology introduces strains of the non-toxic fungus in the affected fields which outcompete and reduce the population of the toxic ones, therefore drastically reducing contamination.