Dr Prince Addae, the foundation’s Project Manager (Cowpea), said this in an interview in Abuja.
Addae said that until the advent of biotechnology, science was not able to control or develop resistance or tolerance to some of these crops.
''Since 1996, products of this technology have been introduced to the world and proven in countries like U.S., Brazil, Argentina, China; all these countries are using these products.''
Addae said that the foundation had embarked on the development of an improved variety of cowpea. He said that the cowpea project would help improve varieties that could withstand the pod borer (maruca vitrata) and enhance farmers’ yields and income.
According to him, the pod borer inflicts severe damages to cowpea, leading to yield losses of between 70 per cent and 80 per cent in severe infestation.
He said that the use of insecticide had not been widely adopted by farmers due to the prohibitive costs.
''AATF is addressing this problem by facilitating the development of `Maruca'-resistant transgenic cowpea varieties, thereby minimising insecticide use and its effects on health and the environment.''
He revealed that the project was developed at the Institute of Agricultural Research, Zaria, Kaduna State.
The AATF is a non-profit organisation that facilitates and promotes public-private partnerships for access and delivery of appropriate agricultural technologies for sustainable use by smallholder farmers in Sub-saharan Africa.
Reports say that this is done through innovative partnerships and effective stewardship along the entire value chain. The foundation also serves as a one-stop-shop that provides expertise and know-how that facilitates identification, access, development, delivery and utilisation of proprietary agricultural technologies.
AATF works toward food security and poverty reduction in Sub-saharan Africa, and its structure and operations draw on best practices and resources of both the public and private sectors.
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