AATF

21/08/2026

AATF will be at !

AATF together with Hailemariam & Roman Foundation will co-host a high-level dialogue at the The Africa Food Systems Forum - AGRF on 4th September 2026 at the Innovation Hub.

We will be discussing the journey from biosafety to bioeconomy to unlock agricultural innovation and investment.

See you there!

18/08/2026

Farmers in Northern Nigeria are wowed by the performance of on their farms.

Even under scorching heat - reaching 32°C- and dry-season stress, this hybrid maize variety is holding its ground - staying green and productive while neighboring conventional maize withers.

Bred for drought tolerance and pest resistance, is proving that climate-smart technology can deliver real, tangible results - not just on paper, but on the farm.

17/08/2026

What if bread could reduce a country's wheat import bill and create rural jobs at the same time?

That's exactly what's happening in Nigeria.

AATF , working with Master Bakers, has trained over 500 cassava processors to accelerate a national policy replacing up to 20% of wheat flour with cassava flour in bread.

The ripple effect goes beyond bakeries: the initiative is expected to cut wheat import dependence, stimulate agro-industrial growth, create rural jobs, while adding value across the entire cassava chain - from farmers to processors to the loaf on the shelf.

Some processors are already seeing new market access and improved earnings from the shift.

500 trained is just the start - the project is targeting 1,000,who will adopt cassava flour in commercial baking.

READ MORE HERE: https://punchng.com/foundation-trains-500-cassava-processors-to-drive-20-bread-flour-policy/

A foundation has trained over 500 cassava processors to accelerate Nigeria's 20% cassava flour substitution policy in bread, reducing wheat dependence and

13/08/2026

🌽 Why climate-smart seeds?

Because Nigerian farmers can no longer count on the rains — and old varieties can't keep up with drought, pests, and shrinking yields.

That's the case AATF made in Kano State, where a delegation led by Vice Chairman of the AATF Board of Trustees, Sylvia Kyeyune, met with the state government to deepen collaboration on adoption.

Designed to resist drought and cut reliance on chemical spraying, was designed specifically for Nigeria's climate - and has been reaching farmers since 2024.

The ask from AATF was direct: more awareness, wider adoption, and stronger partnership from farm to shelf - because good seed is only the start. It takes the adoption of good agronomic practices, technology, and support to turn it into food security.

READ MORE: https://guardian.ng/business-services/agro-care/kano-partners-aatf-to-adopt-drought-resistance-maize/

The Kano State Government has assured readiness to partner the AATF to scale up climate smart farming solutions to boost food production

12/08/2026

🌽 For years, the word " " in Nigeria carried more fear than fact. Today, that's changing - not in conference rooms, but in the fields.

Farmers who once battled the "twin thieves" of drought and pests with costly, repeated pesticide use are now seeing what improved varieties like PBR Cowpea and TELA Maize can do: fewer chemical sprays, better resilience, stronger harvests.

Nigeria's National Biosafety Management Agency has built one of Africa's most robust regulatory frameworks to ensure every approved seed is rigorously assessed before it reaches a farmer's hand.

The result? A conversation that's shifting - from speculation to results, from fear to evidence.

Read more: https://thenationonlineng.net/how-modern-biotech-drives-nigerias-agricultural-rebirth/

Persistent crop losses from pests and diseases, declining soil productivity and the growing impact of climate change have contributed to poor yields and

11/08/2026

🌽 "Decisions should be guided by evidence rather than fear," says Professor Rebecca Ndana.

She's spent years researching agricultural biotechnology. In 2024, she decided to put her science - and her reputation - on the line by planting on her own farm.

Professor Ndana Rebeccah, Dean of the Department of Plant Science and Biotechnology at the University of Abuja, has grown the crop since its commercial release in Nigeria, supervised student research on it, and continues to cultivate it today.

Her experience challenges some of the most common myths about GMOs -that they look different from conventional crops, that they damage soil, that their seed can't be replanted.

But her real message goes further: "closing the gap between scientific evidence and public trust takes more than data. It takes engagement, transparency, and honest dialogue."

Read her full story:

By Onche Odeh When Professor Rebecca Ndana planted TELA maize on her farm in 2024, she knew she was growing more than a new crop. She was putting her scientific reputation and her personal convicti…

10/08/2026

AATF in the NEWS: In Kano State, Northern Nigeria, experts are bringing science into the GMO conversation - calling for a separation of factual evidence from misconceptions and helping communities make informed choices for a Food Secure Africa.

Read the full story: https://kanotimes.com.ng/2026/07/30/facts-over-fear-experts-reveal-science-behind-gmos-in-nigeria/

  Scientists and biosafety experts have reaffirmed that genetically modified organisms (GMOs) approved for cultivation and consumption in Nigeria undergo years of rigorous scientific testing and regulatory scrutiny before receiving approval, amid persistent public concerns over their safety. They s...

28/07/2026

AATF paid a courtesy visit to Tomato Jos in Kaduna, Kaduna state, Northern Nigeria.

AATF Board of Trustees Vice Chair Sylvia Kyeyune led the team that paid a courtesy visit to the management of Tomato Jos, one of the company's handling TELA seed production in Nigeria. She has spent the last week interacting with farmers at the TELA Seed Production field at Gurara on the Kaduna-Abuja Expressway where she highlighted on the potential of TELA hybrid seeds for greater productivity.

While explaining that hybrid seeds like Tela maize can deliver upto three to five times the yield currently obtained from Open-Pollinated Varieties (OPVs), she urged farmers to not be afraid of adopting hybrid varieties such as to cut production costs and strengthen the country’s food security in the long run.

22/07/2026

Over the past two weeks, AATF has been on the ground across 10 counties in Western Kenya conducting farmer trainings under the Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation -TAAT Project. As part of this effort, AATF is promoting Nutrition-Sensitive Agriculture (NSA) by integrating household kitchen gardens into homes, ensuring that families not only produce more food but also have year-round access to diverse, nutritious diets.

What we found went far beyond demonstration plots:
🌱 We met farmers improving maize yields by combining improved WEMA Drought-TEGO® varieties with Good Agronomic Practices.

🥬 We saw kitchen gardens transforming small household spaces into year-round sources of nutritious vegetables using recycled tyres, cement bags and other locally available materials.

👩🏾‍🌾 We met farmers who have become trainers of trainers, inspiring entire communities to establish their own kitchen gardens.

👨🏾‍🌾 We met young people who are beginning to see agriculture not as a last resort, but as a business opportunity.

🏡 And we met families whose harvests are paying school fees and supporting initiatives, creating new income streams, improving household diets and reducing malnutrition across families.

One lesson stood out wherever we travelled:
is not just about introducing better technologies - it is about equipping farmers with the knowledge and confidence to adopt them, adapt them and share them with others.

21/07/2026

AATF is participating in the 3rd Rwanda National Seed Congress in Kigali, hosted by the National Seed Association of Rwanda under the theme: "Seeds as a Strategic Engine for National Transformation: Advancing a Competitive, Private Sector-Led Seed System for Food Security, Jobs and Trade."

Addressing the plenary session on , and , AATF Executive Director Dr Canisius Kanangire highlighted the critical role of science and innovation in building resilient Agrifood systems amid escalating climate and biological threats.

"African agriculture continues to face serious constraints on productivity, including fall armyworm infestation, recurrent drought, late blight in potato, and cassava brown streak disease," Dr. Kanangire noted.

He showcased Drought TEGO® as a flagship example of climate-smart seed innovation transforming agricultural productivity across the continent.

Popularly known by farmers as the "Magic Seed," Drought TEGO® is a conventionally bred Water Efficient Maize for Africa (WEMA) variety that delivers significantly higher yields under moderate drought conditions, offering smallholder farmers a dependable solution as rainfall patterns become increasingly erratic.

The impact continues to grow.

To date, 124 hybrids have been released, while 36,328 metric tonnes of certified seed have been produced and commercialized through a network of 38 licensed seed companies, enabling the technology to reach farmers at scale across Africa.

In Kenya, the results have been particularly compelling, with farmers recording yield increases of between 33 and 54 percent. Average maize yields have risen to 4.9–6.3 tonnes per hectare, compared to 1.7–3.2 tonnes per hectare under conventional varieties.