Understanding the prevalance of aflatoxin along the value chains and the effectiveness of control strategies
The aim here is to fill in the gaps in the current knowledge of, and the efficacy of intervention strategies by compiling an inventory of existing intervention strategies, evaluate the efficacy of those strategies that are likely to be adopted by smallholder subsistence farmers, identify suitable aflatoxin assaying technologies suitable for smallholder, subsistence farmer condition (taking into consideration the problem of accessibility, poor infrastructure and lack of resources) and disseminate results of ongoing intervention strategies. Through a systematic follow-up of maize and ground nut produce, from the field to the table, the study will quantify the level of aflatoxin contamination in maize and groundnut products at each point along the value chain, identify the critical points where contamination is high, and where, if intervention strategies are adopted, significant reductions in aflatoxin contaminations will be achieved. In addition, this information will be crucial in quantifying the level of chronic exposure in the maize consuming population within Kenya and Mali.
- Review and technically appraise the existing data (published and unpublished) on prevalence of aflatoxin along maize and groundnut value chains involving the poor in study countries.
- Field work to collect geo-referenced samples in selected sites in the study area along the maize and groundnut food and feed chains (i.e. from the farmer’s fields, storage (farmers), in transportation and storage (traders and at retail sites), feed producing companies, etc .and use Enzyme-Linked ImmunoSorbant Assay (ELISA) test developed by ICRISAT to quantify the prevalence of aflatoxin B1 (and total aflatoxin) to fill in the gaps.
- Evaluation of the set of pre-harvest (e.g. use of drought and aflatoxin tolerant cultivars) and post-harvest (hand sorting, proper drying on mats or plastics, control of storage pests).
- Assess the levels of aflatoxin at critical points along the value chain (production, processing and value chain).
- Improved NAR’s testing capacity for aflatoxins.
- Awareness created amongst the value chain actors regarding the severity of the aflatoxin problem and how seasonality affects the situation.
- Buy in of the policymakers to address the problem of aflatoxin including agreement to lend support to the project in the short term.
- Results used by stakeholders (Ministries of Agriculture and Health and AGRA) to promote solution for aflatoxin reduction in the value chain