Aflatoxin, a toxin produced by the fungus Aspergillus flavus, is a major threat to corn crops, posing considerable risks to human and animal health. Aflatoxin contamination can lead to serious, even fatal, illnesses, as well as significant economic losses for farmers.
Beneficiary of a PDTIE grant and incubated at the Institut de Recherche Agricole pour le Développement (IRAD) in Cameroon, innovator Félix FONCHA has devised a solution to this critical problem by developing high-yield maize hybrids with enhanced resistance to aflatoxin contamination.

This innovation offers several significant advantages, such as reducing the risks to human and animal health associated with aflatoxin; by protecting corn crops from toxic contamination, it also helps to guarantee food security, a crucial issue for many communities dependent on corn as a staple food source. In addition, this approach integrates local maize genetic resources, promoting genetic diversity and crop sustainability.

Watch the video to find out more about this innovative agricultural solution, with particular emphasis on the development of aflatoxin-resistant corn hybrids: https://youtu.be/5WtN7f89iiY?si=hYZmgFkgdpWGlSOm

This video has been produced by the project ‘Vulgarisation des Technologies et Innovations pour un Développement Durable’ (PROVID2), third-party project of PDTIE,  which aims to ensure access to technological innovations for vulnerable populations in Cameroon and the DRC through community appropriation of research results and innovations.

Each week, PROVID2 highlights an environmental technology and innovation for sustainable development and poverty reduction developed by innovators in Cameroon and the Democratic Republic of Congo.