Push for small scale farmers to take up Aflasafe to control aflatoxin poisoning

The Government continues to accelerate technologies meant to alleviate the effects of aflatoxin in the agricultural sector more so on maize and groundnuts. Together with several partners, The Kenya Agricultural Livestock and Research Organization (KALRO) have lately intensified its efforts in promoting the use of aflasafe by small scale farmers in the country. Aflatoxin is a poison produced by a fungus Aspergillus flavus that resides in the soil and infects crops in the field with the most susceptible crops being maize and groundnuts. The poison causes diseases such as liver cancer, suppresses the immune system, retards growth and development in children and other health problems.

Speaking during an aflasafe dissemination workshop, KALRO Director General Dr. Eliud Kireger said one of the measures is the development and use of product dubbed 'Aflasafe KE01' which is a biological control agent that suppresses aflatoxin producing fungi in the soil.