2013 Borlaug Field Award Ceremony
Charity Kawira Mutegi
Charity Kawira Mutegi, East Africa Aflasafe Coordinator for the Aflasafe Project for the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), on assignment from the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO), received the 2013 Norman Borlaug Award for Field Research and Application, Endowed by the Rockefeller Foundation. Charity Mutegi was recognized for her efforts in extending the highly effective aflatoxin biocontrol technology, also known as Aflasafe in Africa, from the laboratory to the field and for creating awareness about aflatoxin and its management to various stakeholders. The biocontrol technology was developed by the US Department of Agriculture – Agriculture Research Service (USDA-ARS) and adapted and improved for use in Africa by IITA, USDA-ARS and other partners.
Aflatoxin, a naturally occurring mold, is a major concern for farmers and consumers worldwide; it is toxic to people who consume it either directly through contaminated grain, or through milk or meat if livestock have been fed contaminated grain. It is one of the most carcinogenic substances known.