AATF
Facilitating Access and Delivery of Appropriate
technologies for smallholder farmers in Africa
Denis Kyetere

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

AATF Mission and Vision
Mission
Access and deliver appropriate
agricultural technologies for
sustainable use by smallholder in
SSA
Vision
Prosperous farmers and a food
secure Africa

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

How AATF Operates
Technology
Licensors
License Technology/Know-how
Support in Kind
Funding
Agencies AATF
Sub-license
Contracts 1 2 3 4
Production &
Research Research NGO/Private
Partners Institute Institute
Distribution
Stockists
Company
Farmers
Basic/Strategic/ Demonstration
Regulatory Production &
Activities Adaptive
Approvals Distribution
& Market
Research Development

Working Across Value Chain
• Steps in the value • AATF Roles
chain – IP management
– Technology identification – Regulatory compliance
and access – R&D management
– Research & – Monitoring and
Development facilitation
• Proof of concept – Communication
• Field testing – Stewardship
– Input production – Impact assessment
– Input delivery – Partnership Management
– Use of inputs
– Surplus marketing

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

Product Development and Deployment
Product Development
Proof of Concept Product Devt. I Product Devt. II Deployment
Agricultural Innovation Platform
and Deployment
Protocol Seed production
Efficacy testing
optimization
Trait integration
Seed Sales
Event generation Elite event selection
Variety Field production
development
Molecular
Agronomic trials Market access
characterization
Product Profiling and Impact Assessment
Enabling Functions
IP Management, Licensing and Technology Stewardship
Communication and Issue Management
Regulatory Science and Management of Regulatory Affairs
R&D Management and Coordination

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