AATF Facilitating Access and Delivery of

Appropriate technologies for smallholder farmers in Africa

Denis Kyetere

First Bio-Innovate Regional Scientific ConferenceUnited Nations Conference Centre (UNCC-ECA)Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 25-27 February 2013

African Agriculture: Under-Performing

Yields are stationary or declining

Yet population has continued to increase

Production per capita is declining

The Reasons

• Low farm productivity:– Poor quality soils/lack of access to

fertilizers– Inadequate irrigation– Absence of appropriate technology– Poor infrastructure – Pests and diseases– Lack of access to credit– The HIV/AIDS Pandemic– etc

AATF Mandate & Rationale• To facilitate public/private partnerships for the

access and delivery of appropriate agricultural technologies addressing smallholder farmers’ constraints in SSA

Rationale• Need for effective mechanisms to negotiate

the access and transfer of appropriate technologies held by the public and private sectors from anywhere in the world to Africa

• Need for appropriate partnerships to manage the deployment of these technologies until they are within reach of smallholder farmers

MissionAccess and deliver appropriate agricultural technologies for sustainable use by smallholder in SSA

VisionProsperous farmers and a food secure Africa

AATF Mission and Vision

AATF Strategic Thrusts

• Negotiating access to and ensuring stewardship of appropriate technologies that enhance the productivity of agriculture in Africa

• Managing partnerships for project formulation, product development and deployment to introduce innovative agricultural technologies to African farming systems

• Managing information and knowledge to support technology identification, product development and deployment, and a conducive policy environment

AATF Approach Focus• Food and high value crops produced by

smallholder farmers in SSA

Technological interventions criteria– Targeted priority agricultural problems– Accessible, transferable, adaptable &

proven technologies

Partnership & Stewardship• Act as the ‘responsible party’ ensuring

technologies are appropriately and responsibly used across the value chain

AATFFundingAgencies

TechnologyLicensors

License Technology/Know-how Support in Kind

1 2 3 4Contracts

ResearchInstitute

ResearchInstitute

Production &DistributionCompany

NGO/PrivateStockistsPartners

Basic/Strategic/AdaptiveResearch

RegulatoryApprovals

Production &Distribution

Demonstration& Market

Development

Farmers

Activities

How AATF Operates

Sub-license

Working Across Value Chain

• Steps in the value chain– Technology identification

and access– Research &

Development• Proof of concept• Field testing

– Input production– Input delivery– Use of inputs– Surplus marketing

• AATF Roles– IP management– Regulatory compliance– R&D management– Monitoring and

facilitation– Communication– Stewardship– Impact assessment– Partnership Management

AATF Intervention

• Technology licensing and regulatory approval• Freedom to operate (FTO) assessments• Licensing for regional distribution• Liability protection• Product Development and testing• Commercialisation• Stewardship• Partnerships Management• Communication and public awareness

Ag

ricultu

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latform

Pro

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Proof of Concept DeploymentProduct Devt. IIProduct Devt. I

Efficacy testing

Elite event selection

Agronomic trials

Protocol optimization

Event generation

Molecular characterization

Trait integration

Variety development

Field production

Market access

Seed production

Seed Sales

En

ablin

g F

un

ctio

ns

R&D Management and Coordination

Product Profiling and Impact Assessment

Communication and Issue Management

Regulatory Science and Management of Regulatory Affairs

IP Management, Licensing and Technology Stewardship

Product Development and Deployment

Priority Problem Areas for AATF• Impact of climate change on crop productivity

• Yield losses of staple and high value crops from pests and diseases

• Soil related constraints to crop productivity

• High cost and low efficient plant breeding processes

• Inadequate mechanization

• Micronutrient and vitamin related malnutrition among resource poor farmers

Current AATF Activities

1. Striga control in smallholder maize field

2. Insect-resistant cowpea

3. Improvement of banana for resistance against banana bacterial wilt

4. Biological Control of Aflatoxin

5. Drought-tolerance in maize

6. Improving Rice Productivity in Nitrogen-Deficient and Saline Environments of Sub-Saharan Africa

ATTF Investors

• Rockefeller Foundation

• US Agency for International Development

• UK Dept for International Development

• Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation

• Howard Buffet Foundation

Legal Status• Incorporated in UK January 2003, Kenya in

April 2003 and Nigeria in 2010

• Registered as charity under the laws of England & Wales in January 2005

• Granted tax-exempt status in the US in 2006

• Granted host country status by Government of Kenya in June 2005

FONDATION AFRICAINE POUR LES TECHNOLOGIES AGRICOLES