1. CRF GRANT
Review & Planning
Workshop, Benin
Stemming Aflatoxin pre- and post-harvest waste in the groundnut value
chain (GnVC) in Malawi and Zambia
to improve food and nutrition security in the smallholder farming families.
2. Aflatoxin Challenge for Smallholders
• Food security of smallholders
- Maize and Groundnuts major part of rural diet.
• Health of smallholders
- Farm productivity
• Trade
- Local and international regulations
-Restricted market access
The challenge is that the groundnuts from smallholder farmers are prone to Aflatoxin contamination. The
contamination can occur any time from pre-harvest to post-harvest and has enormous health and
economic consequence.
4. THE PROJECT BRIEF
Hypothesis:
Investing in pre- and post-harvest loss research, technical advice
and policy advocacy to reduce food losses could significantly increase the food
and nutrition security.
Project Objectives:
1)To assess, validate and further develop promising pre and post harvest
technologies
2)To document and disseminate the preventive technologies, and have farmer
capacities are built
3)To advocate for conducive national and regional policies and regulatory
frameworks for stemming Aflatoxin
6. 2014-2015 PLANNED ACTIVITIES
Inception Workshop
Consortium Agreements
Work plan development
Farmer mobilization and organization
Developing research activities
Farmer Training
Baseline Data Collection
Coordination and communication
7. PROGRESS TO-DATE
o Inception workshop held
o Consortium Agreements
concluded
o Work plan developed
o Research priorities agreed
upon.. Research matrix
o Farmer mobilization and
training
Inception workshop
1) Evaluation of the effect of residue incorporation on
pre-harvest aflatoxin contamination (2014/2015 season)
2) Evaluation of effect of number of rows per ridge 2014/15 season
3) Evaluation of effect of tie/box ridging and of number of rows
per ridge 2015/2016 season
4)Evaluation of Mandela cork 2014/2015 season
5)Evaluation of kennel sizing and Hand sorting on partitioning
aflatoxin into various shelled groundnut grade sizes
Areas of Research
8. PROGRESS TO-DATE CONT’
• Farmer sensitization and
awareness conducted
• Farmer training done through:
• demos
• Field days
• farmer to farmer
• Radio programmes
aired
• Training publication in
form of leaflets
produced and
disseminated
Field day on
double row
planting
Mandela
Cock
9. OUTSTANDING ACTIVITIES
Baseline data collection… data collection tools have been developed
and data collection will commence first week of July
Finalization of project brochure and launching of website
10. CHALLENGES Agriculture seasonality challenge
Delayed project start meant missing some critical seasonal activities
Leading to refocusing on research areas for 2014/2015
Project coordination
Communication in terms of response time and feedback
New partnership, team forming and norming challenges
Cross-project components and intra project components challenges
Staff changes
Different approaches
Project financing
Limited budget affecting the level of involvement
11. LESSONS LEARNT
Institutionalization of the project/ Buy-in
Intensifying communication via emails, skypes
Though connectivity and response times remains a
challenges
Focus on project team consolidation/building
Need for regular project reviews
Cultivating linkages with other stakeholders
ICRISAT in Malawi
National Agricultural Universities