Aflatoxins in Groundnuts in Mali

MOTIVATION

Aflatoxins are naturally occurring carcinogenic substances found in high quantities in some of Africa’s crops. They spread rapidly in warm tropical climates, inflicting harm on humans and animals. In 2008, with support from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the AflaControl project analyzed groundnuts in Mali: these groundnuts were the focus of major livelihood activities for both men and women in the area. The project assessed whether various technologies can reduce the risk of aflatoxin contamination in a cost-effective way, particularly for poor farmers, and identified obstacles to adoption of these technologies.

 

OUTCOMES

• The AflaControl team completed the first comprehensive study of aflatoxin prevalence levels in more than 10,000 samples of Malian groundnuts. IFPRI, in collaboration with the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) and Mali’s Institut d’Economie Rurale analyzed information based on household survey data collected in three groundnut-producing regions (Kayes, Kita, and Kolokani) from 2009 to 2011. 

• The team completed its first comprehensive socioeconomic analysis, including an assessment of the impacts of aflatoxins on health, wealth, and trade; the behavioral factors affecting agricultural technology adoption, and whether people are willing to pay higher prices for aflatoxin-free certified products; and the cost effectiveness of different aflatoxin control methods. This information has helped shape the focus of major international donors such as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s agriculture team’s approach to aflatoxin control. 

• Awareness of aflatoxins is low, and the extent of contamination and the means to prevent it are poorly understood, among both policymakers and farmers. Through a website, IFPRI and partners are able to share background information regarding aflatoxins, links to other relevant sites, and the approach and results of this project. 

• A model has been developed to create predictive risk maps illustrating probabilities of future aflatoxin prevalence in the sampled areas. The model uses prevalence data, as well as various climatic and ecological data available for Mali.
•  The project has received wide attention from the Malian media and raised awareness of the extent and severity of the problem.