Discovered that the best way to manage the risk of aflatoxin contamination in Malawi’s groundnut value chain
Hyderabad-based International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) is partnering with the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) to prevent and control aflatoxin contamination in Malawi, along the groundnut value chain to safeguard public health and boost farmer and export income.
The project will mitigate carcinogenic aflatoxins – the toxic substances produced by fungi – from contaminating groundnuts resulting in threats to public health and lost income for farmers caused by export rejection.
Through extensive scientific research, ICRISAT has successfully reduced aflatoxin contamination in groundnuts, leading to higher quality crops that contribute to not only improved nutrition and health but also increased income for smallholder farmers.
At a technical level, the project aims to achieve a contamination level of less than 10 parts per billion (ppb) for all groundnut food products in Malawi, Africa and to work closely with national entities such as the Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture to refine, integrate, and implement policies that facilitate aflatoxin prevention and control.