Issue 1, December 2017
Welcome!
 In this first edition of ATTC News we'll be bringing you all the latest on Aflasafe commercialisation and progress towards large-scale use in Africa – including our first ever Technology Transfer and Licensing Agreement, passing the baton to our partners in Senegal and The Gambia. You'll also find a message from our Managing Director, a roundup of what's happening on the ground using Aflasafe to protect groundnuts and maize from deadly aflatoxin, and a look at our plans for the year to come.
A word from the ATTC MD, Abdou Konlambigue
When we launched this continent-wide initiative in December 2016, I promised to keep you informed about our progress, our successes, lessons learnt, and – more importantly – to share best practice. Here we are. Welcome to the inaugural issue of our newsletter! How did ATTC fare in 2017? Read on for more from Abdou
ATTC at a glance
 For newcomers to the Aflasafe crew, it's time to bust some jargon and introduce you to the Aflasafe initiative that's taking aflatoxin-busting science to African farmers and farm businesses on a large scale. Aflasafe Technology Transfer and Commercialisation, or ATTC, is all about putting Aflasafe in the hands of local partners that are well placed to manufacture, distribute and market it in each country, and so making sure that Aflasafe will be available and commercially viable long into the future. ATTC falls under IITA’s Business Incubation Platform. Read more on our strategy, or check out the launch of ATTC and meet our Advisory Board and staff
Latest news
Signed, sealed and delivered: Aflasafe in local hands
 September 2017 saw the signing of our first ever Technology Transfer and Licensing Agreement (TTLA), a major milestone on Aflasafe's journey to large-scale use and commercial viability, and a big leap forward in the fight against aflatoxin. Made between BAMTAARE Services SA and the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, this formal legal agreement allows BAMTAARE, our local partner, to manufacture, distribute and sell Aflasafe SN01 in Senegal and The Gambia. With the TTLA in place the action could begin, with construction immediately starting on an Aflasafe factory in Senegal, due to start production in June 2018. Within five years BAMTAARE aims to be supplying enough Aflasafe to protect 130,000 hectares of maize and groundnuts. The health benefits for both countries are huge, since using Aflasafe can reduce exposure to unhealthy aflatoxin concentrations; liver cancer is the most common cancer in Senegal, and aflatoxin is a major cause. Read more
As the development and registration of Aflasafe progresses in countries across Africa, we expect this landmark TTLA to be the first of many, with more to follow in 2018. Stay tuned for more in next year's newsletters!
Our online home gets a makeover: Brand-new aflasafe.com unveiled
 We are delighted to present our new website, at aflasafe.com. As soon as you land, you’ll see our fresh look, combining earthy tones with a bold graphic style – plus all the news and information you need. If you’re wondering “what’s in it for me?” when it comes to Aflasafe or aflatoxin-safe foods we can answer that straight away with some different perspectives. Or if you prefer to skip straight to the juicy details of what’s going on in your own country, Aflasafe where I am is just the place for you – click on a country for all the local details. Keep exploring to learn more about aflatoxin and Aflasafe, catch up on the latest news, and even take a quiz. The website is still a work in progress and we will be adding lots more content, so we warmly welcome your feedback at any time. Read more, or go straight to the site
Aflasafe hits the global stage: Going from science to scale – in the spotlight
Just how do we get smart scientific solutions to the people that need them on a large scale? It’s a big question – and we are at the leading edge, with innovative approaches to scaling out and commercialisation, offering lessons that can be applied to other technologies. These ideas got their international debut at a panel discussion during the 2017 Borlaug Dialogue International Symposium that covered ATTC’s dynamic design, how project partners work together to build successful public–private partnerships, and progress on goals. Read more
Registered and ready to use in Burkina Faso and beyond
 The forward march against aflatoxin in Africa’s food continues: in May 2017, Burkina Faso became the latest country with its own tailor-made version of Aflasafe available and ready for commercialisation. Aflasafe BF01 was approved for full registration by Le Comité Sahélien des Pesticides (CSP, the Sahelian Pesticide Committee) of Le Comité Permanent Inter-Etats de Lutte contre la Sécheresse dans le Sahel (CILSS, the Permanent Interstate Committee for Drought Control in the Sahel). With robust research behind us and regulatory conditions met, commercialisation is beginning in earnest. Read more
Country roundups and a look to the future
 What's happening where I am?
Aflasafe is currently available in five countries across Africa, and undergoing development, testing or registration in 11 more. For all the latest details, visit Aflasafe where I am
Burkina Faso
Following on from the May 2017 registration of Aflasafe BF01 mentioned above, in November ATTC convened an Investors Forum in Ouagadougou to inform and attract potential Aflasafe manufacturers and distributors for Burkina Faso. We will choose Burkinabe partners and commence commercialisation in 2018.
Ghana
Aflasafe GH01, Ghana's tailored product, cuts aflatoxin contamination in maize and groundnuts by up to 100%; we expect to complete registration soon. In August 2017, ATTC held an Investors Forum in Accra for potential commercialisation partners, attracting participants from both the private and public sectors, as well as non-governmental actors.
Kenya
In Kenya, we are working with our national partner, the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization, to kick-start the manufacturing of Aflasafe KE01™ at scale at the newly built factory in Katumani, Machakos County. We are also working to organise for country-wide distribution in partnership with private companies and the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries. Aflasafe KE01 was registered in 2015 and officially launched in October 2016. Aflasafe has already been used in Kenya with excellent results. In March 2017, Kenya hosted the First All-Africa Postharvest Congress and Exhibition, with special events focussing on aflatoxin, including a symposium co-organised by IITA and partners. Aflasafe clinched 3rd position in the Congress’ contest for Top Ten innovations – a remarkable feat for a pre-harvest solution in a postharvest forum.
Nigeria
Aflasafe™, the Nigerian product, is on sale by Harvestfield Industries, an interim private-sector distributor. Supporting the company’s marketing efforts, we’ve produced the first in a series of country videos on how to use Aflasafe. In March 2017, ATTC convened an Investors Forum in Lagos to reach out to potential partners and discuss commercialisation. That same month, we committed to cooperate on a new groundnut initiative, the Export Oriented Production Cluster. Among our private-sector partners is Olam, which has already started using Aflasafe on a large scale, working with groundnut smallholders. Since February 2017, ATTC has also been participating in the Zero Reject initiative of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. From our work with the government at federal and state level, Aflasafe is in some cases now being included in government-subsidised packages to farmers in certain States.
Senegal and The Gambia
Aflasafe SN01 was officially launched in March 2017 in both Senegal and The Gambia, where it is distributed and sold by our partner BAMTAARE Services SA (a subsidiary of Sodefitex). BAMTAARE will soon be manufacturing Aflasafe on the ground: they are constructing a factory in Kaolack, Senegal, with technical support and training from ATTC, and are due to start production in 2018. This was made possible by the signing of Aflasafe’s first ever Technology Transfer and Licensing Agreement (TTLA) in September 2017, between BAMTAARE and IITA. The historic ground-breaking event is captured on camera for posterity here.
What next for Aflasafe commercialisation?
In the months ahead, on top of the construction of an Aflasafe factory in Senegal, we will be selecting Aflasafe manufacturing and distribution partners in Nigeria and Burkina Faso. We’ll also be seeking more partners downstream along the value chain to expand and extend Aflasafe use across Africa, and continue with strategic training of trainers in the public and private sectors on how to effectively use Aflasafe (see an example from Nigeria).
|
