Commercial products promoting plant health in African agriculture

Publication date: 07/02/2019
Extent: 20 pages

Contributions by: Frederick Schreurs and Ranajit Bandyopadhyay, IITA, Nigeria; Christiaan Kooyman, IITA, Kenya; Alejandro Ortega-Beltran and Adebowale Akande, IITA, Nigeria; Matieyedou Konlambigue, IITA, Ghana; and Niels Van den Bosch, IITA, Nigeria

Chapter synopsis: The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) usually delivers its products free of charge to national programmes and farmers, but in two projects described in this chapter, most costs were transferred to users through commercialization. This chapter explores the development and application of the biorational insecticide Green Muscle®, based on an entomopathogenic fungus against African locusts and grasshoppers and Aflasafe®, a registered product based on a non-toxigenic fungus that replaces aflatoxin-producing fungi in the soil biome and protects crops and users from aflatoxin poisoning. The chapter describes commercialization principles for these products, presenting a model user benefits and cost analysis of a biopesticide. Finally, the chapter looks ahead to future research trends in this field.

DOI: 10.19103/AS.2018.0043.14