A presentation was made as part of the G-LENS Webinar series to provide information on the levels of aflatoxins and aflatoxin management strategies among women in four communities within Nigeria. Findings demonstrate that gender-responsive action is critical in increasing awareness levels among women. Training on pre-harvest strategies such as the use of aflatoxin biological control (Aflasafe) and post-harvest strategies including the use of innovations such as Purdue Improved Crop Storage (PICS) bags are necessary.

1. What Does She Know about
Aflatoxins?
Presented at the G-LENS Webinar
By Titilayo Falade on behalf of the Aflasafe, PICS teams
2 December 2022

2. Aflatoxins as a food hazard in multiple crops
>20,000 ppb <5 ppb
High levels of aflatoxins can be
present without signs of visible mould
• Aflatoxins are hazardous secondary metabolites
produced by toxigenic members of Aspergillus section
Flavi
• The four major aflatoxins are aflatoxins B1, B2, G1 and
G2. Aflatoxin B1, the dominant aflatoxin is a Class 1
carcinogen
• Aflatoxins have been detected in multiple crops including
maize, groundnut, chili, melon seeds, sesame, etc.
• Aflatoxins are strictly regulated in multiple countries
restricting trade internationally and sometimes
domestically
< 4 ppb < 15 ppb < 20 ppb
Regulatory
limits

3. Maize in diets
Photo credit: www.OneGreenPlanet.org
Photo credit: www.BestHomeDiet.com
Maize is used in human diet
• weaning foods,
• food for lactating mothers,
• post-operative diet,
• other foods,
• livestock feed.
Dietary exposure
to aflatoxins is
from consumption
of contaminated
food
Secondary exposure to
humans can occur via
dietary exposure to
livestock and livestock
products
Many crops are affected by aflatoxins. Maize is one.

4. Gender roles of women in agriculture and in the society
Image
credit:
WFP
Image
credit:
Blueprint
Image credit:
Global Partnership
for Education
Awareness of value chain actors
along the food value chain is
important
• Women are involved along the
value chain (food production to
food processing and consumption)
• Additionally women can be
conduits of aflatoxins
Image
credit:
Pixabay
Processing
Production
Processing
Reproduction
Image credit: Slum
Dwellers
International
Meal preparation

5. Typical trainings on aflatoxins along the value chain
To create awareness and aflatoxin management strategies
• Production stage (pre-harvest management including the use of Aflasafe)
• Post harvest stage (post harvest management including hermetic storage in PICS bags)
Pre-harvest management strategies Post-harvest management strategies

6. Regular training program on aflatoxin management are male-dominated
Attendees frequently comprise lead farmers or extension agents and they are typically selected by the community

7. Regular training program on aflatoxin management are male-dominated
Various categories of trainings
had few female representation

8. We held focus group discussions with women to know
• What is the level of aflatoxin
awareness among women?
• Kano: Doguwa and Kibiya local
governments
• Kaduna: Kudan and Lere local
governments
• How do previously sensitized
communities compare with
unsensitized communities?
Sensitization based on AgResuts
project report
(https://hdl.handle.net/10568/1073
15)
Sensitised: Lere and Doguwa
Unsensitised: Kibiya and Kudan

9. Ethical approval granted for working with human subjects
Focus Group
Discussions
Informed Consent
Forms
Consideration to social
nuances
Translation to hausa

10. Focus group discussion participants
• Targeted 400 female respondents (100 per local government)
• 471 women responded
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
Doguwa Kibiya Lere Kudan
Age groups of women in
attendance
18-35 years 35-55 years
56 years and above
Majority below 56 years old
Women in attendance identified as
Wives Traders
Farming cooperative
members
Secretaries Mothers

11. Attendance and levels of awareness among women
Awareness
Local Government Areas
Doguwa
(152)
Kibiya
(97)
Lere
(120)
Kudan
(102)
About
aflatoxins
26% 0% 4% 21%
About
Aflasafe
25% 0% 0% 0%
About PICS
bags
0% 0% 0% 0%
Five men attended but did
not actively participate
Awareness about aflatoxins and aflatoxin
management strategies is low but similar to
nation-wide studies in Benin, Ghana and Togo,
but dissimlilar to levels of awareness in Kenya
(50%)*
Lere low awareness level was surprising due to over
10 years of sensitization in this community*
*References
James, B. et al. (2007) ‘Public information campaign on aflatoxin contamination of maize
grains in market stores in Benin, Ghana and Togo’, Food Addit Contam, 24(11), pp. 1283–
1291. doi: 10.1080/02652030701416558.
Flanders, W. D. et al. (2011) ‘Comprehensive assessment of maize aflatoxin levels in eastern
Kenya, 2005–2007’, Environmental Health Perspectives, 119(12), pp. 2005–2007.
Bandyopadhyay, R. et al. (2019) ‘“Ground-Truthing” Efficacy of Biological Control for
Aflatoxin Mitigation in Farmers’ Fields in Nigeria: From Field Trials to Commercial Usage, a
10-Year Study’, Frontiers in Microbiology, 10(November), pp. 1–18. doi:
10.3389/fmicb.2019.02528.

12. Knowledge about aflatoxins and management
• Sources of awareness
• Parents
• Friends
• Training from private sector enterprise
“Aflasafe refers to
grains without
aflatoxins”
“Aflasafe is a chemical
mixed with sorghum for
toxin prevention
What the women mentioned about
Aflasafe during the FGD
“Aflatoxins is
cancer of maize”
“Aflatoxins is black
mould”
“Exposure to
aflatoxins occurs
through ingestion”
“Exposure to
aflatoxins occurs
on the farm”
“Exposure to
aflatoxins occurs just
prior to harvesting”
What the women mentioned about
aflatoxins during FGDs
No
awareness
about PICS
bags
Implications of low awareness
and incorrect knowledge
• Inaction
• Inappropriate action
• High exposure risks
×
×
×
×
× ×
✓

13. Highlights from focus group discussions
• Women considered it critical that they are made aware of food safety
• Doguwa was the only community where the women were invited to
trainings including on aflatoxin management
• Hepatitis B vaccination not widely accepted including among pregnant in
children in Kibiya (0%), but highest in Kudan (78%, for adult females, 97% for
children)
• None of the women had access to digital information
• Women suggested increased awareness through social groups such as
cooperatives and religious gatherings, in addition to existing channels
Gender Responsive
Training is critical

14. What does she know about aflatoxins?
She knows little. Gender-responsive
training is critical!

16. Acknowledgments
• Ms. Tolu Owolabi for administering questionnaires during focus group discussions
• Community leaders that permitted the study
• Women that participated in the focus group discussions
• German government through Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH to IITA
• Project: Support the development of the maize and cassava value chains in the Federal
States of Kaduna, Kano, Ogun, and Oyo of Nigeria

17. Thank you for your attention
For discussions and collaboration you can reach me Titilayo Falade at
t.falade@cgiar.org