In a groundbreaking development for farmers in Nigeria and beyond, Aflasafe, a natural product, has emerged in Nigerian markets as a shield against aflatoxins.
The bioprotectant, boasting an impressive 80 to 100% effectiveness rate, stands to tackle pre-harvest crop contamination by deadly toxins for crops.
Aflatoxins, often hidden in plain sight, are toxic compounds notorious for their association with liver cancer and a host of other health woes.
In Africa, where these silent killers have hit hardest, the prevalence of liver cancer has soared, with aflatoxins contributing to as much as 40% of cases, as highlighted by the Partnership for Aflatoxin Control in Africa (PACA).
Aflasafe which won the Best Innovative Research Project at 2022 World BioProtection Awards, is a natural agricultural ally designed specifically to combat aflatoxins, arguably one of the most insidious threats that exists to crops.
The innovation, native to Nigeria, traces its roots back to the CGIAR’s International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), alongside a cadre of national and international partners.
Following stringent tests under the watchful eye of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).
Harvestfield Industries Limited (HIL), a homegrown Industry responsible for its manufacturing and distribution, revealed that Aflasafe has become a staple in the Central Bank of Nigeria-Anchor Borrowers’ Programme (CBN-ABP), offering farmers a lifeline to safer crops.
According to Dr. Abdullahi Ndarubu, The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) and the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) have also rallied behind Aflasafe, endorsing its use to cultivate wholesome maize and groundnuts for both local and global markets.
Impressively, this natural, chemical free product has been at the side of Nigerian farmers for nearly a decade, applied in several hundred thousand hectares in several states within and outside Nigeria.
Aflasafe owes its uniqueness to its ability to harnesses the power of naturally occurring the Aspergillus flavus strains native to Nigeria, ones that conveniently lack the knack for aflatoxin production. Through its pre-harvest application, Aflasafe outcompetes the toxigenic Aspergillus counterparts, effectively ensuring a toxin-free harvest.
Farmers sprinkle the formula at a rate of 10 kg per hectare, approximately 30-40 days after planting, with each seed containing natural microbes that keep the aflatoxins at bay. Aflasafe has no harmful chemical compositions as it harbors only minute amounts of maize-starch-based polymer and 0.002 g of fungi per kg.
Presenting African Farmers with a potent ally as a natural bioprotectant for crops, health, and livelihoods from the lurking threat of aflatoxins, Aflasafe bioprotectant is the game-changer Africa’s agriculture needs, promising safer and healthier harvests for generations to come.
