| Sumario: | The major mycotoxins studied at the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Re-search (CGIAR) institutes are aflatoxins in maize, groundnut, sorghum and cassava, Fusa-rium toxins in maize, wheat and sorghum, and ochratoxin in cocoa and cashew. Genetic en-hancement (both through plant breeding and biotechnology), biological control, habitat man-agement, risk assessment, institutional capacity building and public awareness are among the tools in the “CGIAR research-for-development kit” to fight mycotoxins worldwide. A holistic approach should be pursued to deal with mycotoxins that includes the following elements: i) an integrated crop management package that combines mycotoxin-resistant germplasm, bio-logical control, habitat control and soil-amendments; ii) low-cost mycotoxin detection tech-nology for rapid appraisal that also should facilitate trade; iii) a participatory process for my-cotoxin assessment in commercially important crops; and iv) a high-level panel composed of scientists, NGOs, farmers, traders, consumers, health officers and policy makers to monitor mycotoxin intervention strategies and to organize awareness campaigns.
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