Better technology for African farmers

Resource-poor African farmers are being given the chance to grow high-yielding crops, thanks to an initiative by the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF), which links small-scale producers up with technological solutions for agriculture. The foundation is a public-private partnership that aims to boost incomes and food security for the rural poor in sub-Saharan Africa by overcoming the high costs and restrictions imposed by intellectual property rights, which act as barriers to African farmers adoption of new technologies. Based in Nairobi, the foundation has already raised US$14 million for its work in the first 5 years of operation. AATF s role is to negotiate between farmers and technology providers to offer solutions to improve productivity and reduce costs. Once access to technologies has been agreed upon, the foundation finds ways of adapting them to African conditions and mass production. One project identified by the AATF will give small-scale farmers access to maize varieties with B-carotene and other pro-vitamin A elements. The AATF sources the germplasm, negotiates intellectual property rights and facilitates field-testing in Africa, as well as the adoption and dissemination of the maize. A cowpea productivity improvement project will enable farmers to access high quality cowpea seed, with increased productivity and resistance to infestation by insect pests. AATF c/o ILRI PO Box 30709 Nairobi 00100 Kenya Tel: +254 20 422 3700 Fax: +254 20 422 3701 Email: aatf-information@cgiar.org Website: www.aftechfound.orgResource-poor African farmers are being given the chance to grow high-yielding crops, thanks to an initiative by the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF), which links small-scale producers up with technological solutions for agriculture