Safe crops, better health and higher income: Ground-truths from the development and scaling up of aflatoxin biocontrol in Africa

Abstract: Aflatoxin contamination of food crops due to Aspergillus flavus is frequent and widespread harming health and trade in Africa. Competitive exclusion of aflatoxin-producing isolates by endemic atoxigenic vegetative compatibility groups (VCGs) of A. flavus is a proven biological control tool for aflatoxin management. We describe progress made with the development of biocontrol of aflatoxins in Africa, the current status, and prospects for further scaling-up in maize and groundnut value chains.