• Dr Julliet Akello and Marie Claire.

By CHRIS KAKUNTA –

AT Zambia’s Agricultural Research Institute (ZARI) commonly known as Mount Makulu, in the outskirts of Lusaka, 29-year-old Marie-Claire Mukasine, a research technician with the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA), repeatedly examines the maize and groundnuts samples in the laboratory before her, to determine the presence of Aflatoxin, a highly toxic, cancer causing fungal metabolites known to cause immune system suppression, growth retardation, liver disease and death in both humans and domestic animals.
The results of her experiments are clear. In large quantities, the experiments test positive to the Aspergillus flavus, a green mould fungus found in the soil and dead organic matter mainly in the farmer’s fields. These experiments are designed deliberately to test for the Aflatoxin fungi and prove the efficacy of Aflasafe, a new biocontrol pesticide developed specifically to deal with the problem of Aflatoxin in Zambia.
The ZARI laboratory was established three years ago under the auspices of IITA.  Marie- Claire has been working in the ZARI laboratory to attest the problem of Aflatoxin existence in Zambia especially in maize and groundnuts growing areas around central and eastern provinces where IITA is helping sensitise small scale farmers about the disease and possible remedial measures.
Although there is little research documentation about Aflatoxin in Zambia, the IITA works have so far revealed the presence of the disease whose consequences are yet to be fully felt by the consumers although the social-economic impact of the disease is already being felt by other stakeholders, especially those involved in international trade.
IITA is one of the world’s leading research partner organisations, whose main function is finding solutions for hunger, malnutrition, and poverty. It works with public and private sector partners to enhance crop quality and productivity, reduce risk to producers and consumers, and generate wealth from agriculture.
“Its works in Zambia dates back to the early 1970s when the country experienced some challenges in dealing with cassava mealie-bug, a disease that had ravaged the country to a point of wiping out the entire cassava crop during that time,” notes IITA Zambia Country Director David Chikoye.
While in the later years IITA, has partnered with government on various programmes, the Biocontrol of Aflatoxins in maize and groundnuts-based cropping systems in Zambia, is considered one of the significant initiatives in the recent times.
IITA has been carrying out tests and sensitisation programmes on Aflatoxin in eastern and central provinces with the aim of helping farmers produce Aflatoxin free maize and groundnuts.
This is because Aflatoxins infects many crops in Zambia although the most susceptible ones are maize and groundnuts.According to a publication by IITA, fungal growth and contamination of grain are greatly enhanced by favorable climate (drought and high temperatures) poor pre and post-harvest management practices like improper drying, storage and pest damage.
The publication reveals that Aflatoxin production in grains starts in the field and increases whilst in storage. It is at this point that when processed and consumed, the Aflatoxin will cause liver cancer, reduce immune-suppression and stunting in children.
Although Zambia has not recorded any serious incidences of Aflatoxin poisoning, IITA Aflatoxin Mitigation Project Coordinator, Juliet Akello says the poison needs to be curtailed before it kills the citizenry.
She told participants at the AFLATOXIN awareness and AFLASAFE stakeholders’ consultative workshop that global reports indicate that Aflatoxin, particularly in Africa has led to a considerable number of deaths.
Dr Akello said: “Aflatoxin contamination of maize products led to outbreaks of acute Aflatoxicosis in Kenya. Out of 317 reported cases of Aflatoxicosis among people in 2004, 125 cases resulted in death, with similar events repeated between 2005 and 2008.”
She added that in 2010, the Government of Kenya estimated that a full ten percent of Kenya’s maize harvest was contaminated by Aflatoxin.
With the 10 per cent contaminated, Dr Akello said the country lost its harvest with economic losses estimated to be around $100 million as Aflatoxin contamination cuts across the value chain, affecting farmers, millers, traders, markets and finally, consumers, devastating the Kenyan maize market.
The impact on health is equally alarming, especially for small scale farmers, the majority of whom are women, and their families who eat their own production.
In Chipata’s Kansinje village in Chief Nzamane’s area, Nkalanachifundo women club members told this author that while they may not be able to see the actual Aflatoxin in their farm produce, through educational and sensitization programmes being carried out by IITA, they have come to learn what Aflatoxin is all about and the dangers it has on their health.
“We are aware of the causes of Chuku, a local word for Aflatoxin, and how it can be prevented,” said Mirriam Tembo, a member of Nkalanachifundo women club who has benefited from Aflasafe pesticide.
According to statistics by IITA, over 60 per cent of the Zambian population is unaware of the presence of Aflatoxin in most crops particularly maize and groundnuts. A view which is also shared by Agriculture and Livestock Minister Given Lubinda who says millions of Zambians consume contaminated foods knowingly.
Mr Lubinda says Aflatoxin contamination in Zambia is not adequately and appropriately controlled or regulated as most foods are produced and consumed without testing by relevant regulatory authorities.
The minister says Aflatoxin poison poses a threat to health, food security and international trade.
And Eastern Province Cooperative Union Limited Team Leader Whatson Sakala attributed the considerable loss of revenue to the presence of Aflatoxin in groundnuts which the European market cannot accept due to high levels of contamination.
He added that working with partners like the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock as well as IITA, Zambia can revive her groundnuts production because Aflatoxin will be controlled.
Mr Sakala said that he was aware of IITA works in Zambia and the Aflatoxin pesticide they have developed which he said needed to be commercialised so that farmers can begin to use it at commercial level.
He further explained that the success in the control of Aflatoxin and any study of fungi infection requires joint strategies by government, the private sector and consumers.
Exports of groundnuts and related products are important for Zambia and several other African countries. FAO estimated that the value of African exports of groundnut products totaled US$230 million or 2 per cent of its total agricultural exports in 1998.
Submissions to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) by several African countries responding to the EU regulation demonstrated a gap between the required standards and the level that they are currently capable of complying with, given available technologies and current farming practices.
Europe is the most important market for African countries. The EU market took on average two-thirds of groundnut exports from African countries between 1989 and 1998 (United Nations COMTRADE Records). Therefore, standards imposed on these products are of great concern to African countries.
And speaking in an interview with the National Agricultural Information Services (NAIS) in Lusaka recently, IITA Researcher based in Ibadan, Nigeria, Ranajit Bandopadhyay said Africa losses millions of dollars through Aflatoxin contamination of internationally traded crops.
Dr  Bandopadhyay said IITA has developed a biocontrol recipe known as Aflasafe to control Aflatoxin poisoning in maize and groundnuts which he hopes most countries would encourage farmers to use in their crops.
Meanwhile, a Research Plant Pathologist with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Peter Cotty observed that Zambia can draw a lot of lessons on how the American farmers have over the years managed to contain Aflatoxin using bio control methods. Dr. Cotty advised Zambia to take advantage of the new developed Aflasafe to help curb the situation.
According to IITA Staffer Winfred Mwale, Aflasafe is highly effective, non-toxic, and completely safe. It contains four local Zambian strains of A. flavus incapable of producing Aflatoxin. Field testing of the products Aflasafe ZM01 and Aflasafe ZM02 over two cropping seasons has consistently reduced Aflatoxin contamination by 86 and 92 per cent in maize and groundnut, respectively.
Mr Mwale notes: “The two products have been shown to be effective in lowering Aflatoxin contents in all the 10 pilot districts of Eastern and Central Provinces of Zambia where they were tested.”
Adapting and applying Aflasafe to address Aflatoxin could dramatically reduce the Aflatoxin levels in grain and improve grain nutritional quality to regionally and internationally acceptable levels. A single Aflasafe application has dual beneficial effects- protecting multiple crops in multiple years and protecting the crop both in the field and during storage.
Consumption of clean foods can easily translate into healthier farm families, better agricultural productivity, and increased income from sales of farm produce.
Furthermore, Zambian food or feed processors and traders would have greater opportunities to trade in the more lucrative regional and international markets due to less rejection of their Aflatoxin-free commodities.
As Zambia continues to explore markets for her agricultural products beyond its borders, the discovery of Aflasafe as a biocontrol measure to contain Aflatoxin in maize and groundnuts is a step in the rights direction as it will cater for both export and consumer needs.-NAIS.