Annual Report 2012 - African Agricultural Technology Foundation

54 AATF Annual Report 2012
Open Forum on Agricultural Biotechnology in Africa
Demand for OFAB
grows as a sixth
chapter is launched in
Burkina Faso
A Ndebele dancer in South Africa
OFAB will continue to outscale its
activities in 2013 to reach more
audiences in a targeted manner. This
will include exploring the possibilities of
establishing a chapter in southern
Africa and an additional one in eastern
Africa in the coming year.
Mr Daniel Otunge, OFAB Coordinator, AATF
The Open Forum on Agricultural Biotechnology in Africa (OFAB) launched
its sixth chapter in Burkina Faso during the year as it continued to expand
throughout Africa. The Burkina Faso chapter is the first in the Francophone
countries. This expansion follows interest shown by other countries
including Ethiopia, Malawi and Zimbabwe. The Burkina Faso chapter
is a collaboration between AATF and the Institut de I’Environnement et
de Recherches Agricoles (INERA). The launch of the chapter received
overwhelming support from the media, regional organisations, heads of
agriculture-related research institutions and the country’s Minister for
Scientific Research and Innovation, Prof Gnisse Konate. While presiding
over the launch, the Minister reiterated the government’s support
for biotech, saying that the country would continue to invest in such
technologies to improve the standards of living of Burkinabes.
The year under review also saw the existing chapters (Kenya,
Uganda, Nigeria, Tanzania and Ghana) adopting innovative ways to create
awareness on biotechnology and increase the participation of diverse
Deploying agricultural technologies for farmers