Kenya launches organic product to fight aflatoxin in maize

The Kenyan Ministry of Agriculture and its partners on Tuesday launched an organic compound to boost the fight against aflatoxin infestation in key staples like maize and groundnuts.

Officials hailed the organic pesticide called Aflasafe KEO1 as a game changer in the war against aflatoxin, a fungal disease caused by poor post-harvest handling of cereals.

Director general of the Kenya Agricultural Livestock and Research Organization, Eliud Kireger, said that Aflasafe presented to smallholders a cheaper and effective option to contain aflatoxin in maize.

"Development of an organic product to fight aflatoxin will be a welcome relief to maize farmers in the arid and semi-arid regions where the fungal diseases are more pronounced," Kireger said.

Kenya is among 11 African countries where field trials on the efficacy, human and environmental safety of the organic product have been ongoing.

According to Kireger, Aflasafe has a "90 percent" efficacy in controlling aflatoxin infestation in maize and other key staples grown in sub-Saharan Africa.

"Smallholder farmers in Africa are looking for alternative methods to fight crop pests and diseases. Aflasafe is not only efficacious but has negligible harm to human health and the environment," said Kireger.

Kenya is an epicenter of aflatoxin infestation in maize that is to blame for food insecurity and rising cases of liver cancer.

Likewise, aflatoxin contributes 20 percent of post-harvest losses in cereals thereby undermining food security and regional trade.

Commercialization of the bio-control product to fight aflatoxin is being fast-tracked in 11 African countries with the highest burden of the disease.

A Kenyan agricultural expert, Leena Tripathi, said that empowering local institutions was key to facilitating the commercialization of Aflasafe.

"We need to build the capacity of local research bodies to manufacture and distribute Aflasafe to farmers," Tripathi said. Endit