CRF GRANTReview & 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.

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.

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Buye

r

Farmer level

Seed System

Field Harvesting DryingTransporting(Field toHomestead)

Storage(In shell)

ShellingInitial Handling

StorageTransportation

BuyingCentres

Transportation(Centre toWarehouse)

warehousingTransportationfrom Warehouse

THE PROJECT BRIEF

Hypothesis:Investing in pre- and post-harvest loss research, technical adviceand 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 technologies2)To document and disseminate the preventive technologies, and have farmer capacities are built3)To advocate for conducive national and regional policies and regulatory frameworks for stemming Aflatoxin

PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION SITE AND BENEFICIARIES

Zambia: 403 farmers (181 females) Malawi: 1,525 farmers (985 females)

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

PROGRESS TO-DATE

o Inception workshop heldo Consortium Agreements

concludedo Work plan developedo Research priorities agreed

upon.. Research matrixo Farmer mobilization and

training

Inception workshop

1) Evaluation of the effect of residue incorporation onpre-harvest aflatoxin contamination (2014/2015 season)2) Evaluation of effect of number of rows per ridge 2014/15 season3) Evaluation of effect of tie/box ridging and of number of rows per ridge 2015/2016 season4)Evaluation of Mandela cork 2014/2015 season5)Evaluation of kennel sizing and Hand sorting on partitioning aflatoxin into various shelled groundnut grade sizes

Areas of Research

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

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

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

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

.The End!