1. Overview of the Aflatoxin Challenge and PACA
Regional Workshop
11-13 March 2014, Lilongwe, Malawi
Amare Ayalew, PACA Secretariat

2. What are aflatoxins? Fungal metabolites (naturally occurring)
Produced by strains of Aspergillus flavus and related species
Highly stable compounds, withstand normal food/feed processing procedures
Contamination occurs preharvest and posthavest

3. Impact of aflatoxins

4. Food and Nutrition Security
Availability of food
Access to food
Use and safety of food
Aflatoxins affect each of these elements

5. Aflatoxins affect trade and efforts to streamline SPS matters in Africa
Africa loses 450 Mil US$ per year from lost export trade due to aflatoxins
Picture after Aubee (2013)

6. What makes aflatoxins notorious is their impact on public health
Fatal at high concentrations; e.g. outbreaks in East Africa where hundreds of persons died due to aflatoxin poisoning (Probst et al., 2007)
Cause liver cancer (WHO, 1988; 2002)
Linked to:
Stunted growth and being underweight in children
Suppression of human immune system
4.5 billion people chronically exposed (WHO, 2004)

7. The aflatoxin Challenge in Africa

8. Factors contributing to the Aflatoxin Challenge in Africa:
Conducive climatic conditions
Traditional crop production practices
Inadequate harvesting, drying and storage practices
Dietary practices
Policy and institutional capacity
Lack of awareness

9. Aflatoxin contamination is a perennial risk between 40° N and 40° S of the equator, but is a global problem due to int. trade

10. Aflatoxin Management

11. Rationale Aflatoxin contamination is a complex problem:
Hard to solve by a single actor/discipline
Requires multi-stakeholder actions
Need to focus on the cause rather than the symptoms
No single answer
Integrated and coordinated actions needed

12. Policy and institutions
A ‘bag of tricks’(integrated valid options) to address the complex aflatoxin problem:
Technology solutions
Regulation
Photo credit: africabags.org
Policy and institutions

14. What is PACA?
Innovative consortium aiming at coordinating aflatoxin mitigation and management across health, agriculture and trade sectors in Africa.
Continental, regional and country level approaches
Africa-based
Aims to adapt proven solutions, and identify new ones, that will work for African situation.

16. Technical Subcommittee Budget, Finance & Administration
PACA Steering Committee
1 AUC, 2 RECs, 2 Technical Agencies, 1 Farmer Organization, 1 Civil Society, 1 Private Sector, 1 African Health, 1 African Research, 1 Development Partner, 1 PACA Secretariat
Technical Subcommittee
1 REC, 2 Tech Agency, 1 Health, 1 Research (support by Secretariat)
Budget, Finance & Administration
1 AUC, 1 REC 1 Dev Partner, 1 Farmer Org, 1 CSO
(support by Secretariat)
African Union Commission
Partnership for Aflatoxin Control in Africa: structure for
co-identification of problems and co-creation of solutions
PACA Secretariat
Program Manager, Technical Advisor, Program Officers, Administrative Support, Consultants
PACA Platform
Broad engagement of diverse stakeholders involved in aflatoxin control in Africa

17. Chart after Dalberg Global Development Partners (2013)

18. Food Security | Trade | Health
PACA Comprehensive Program
Food Security | Trade | Health
Policy, standards and regulations
Pre-harvest including beneficial fungi
Post-harvest drying, storage, handling
Market development: structured demand, alternative uses
Consumption
Testing (sampling; diagnostics)
Training, communication, and capacity strengthening
Economic Assessments
Food Security Assessments
Health Assessments
20 March 2012 | Slide 18

19. PACA’s Engagement Approaches
PACA aims at mainstreaming aflatoxin control in existing mechanisms:
the CAADP framework
Health and nutrition frameworks
RECs, Member States, Technical Organizations, Private Sector and CSGs take lead in implementation of PACA’s Strategic Plan
(See Strategy at PACA Website)

20. available at: www.aflatoxinpartnership.org
The PACA Strategy
2013 – 2022
available at:

21. Strategic Thematic Areas of Work
Research and technology for prevention and control of aflatoxins
Policies, legislation and standards for the management of aflatoxins
Growing commerce and trade and protecting human health from aflatoxins
Enhancing capacity for effective aflatoxin prevention and control
Public awareness, advocacy and communication

22. PACA Focus Areas in 2014 Regional workshops and action planning
Establishment of online data management system as a one-stop-hub for all aflatoxin and related information
Country-led aflatoxin situation analyses
Policy advocacy and communication
PACA Partnership Platform Meeting
Africa Year of Agriculture events
On the ground projects

23. Conclusion
Aflatoxins are insidious poisons that affect public health, trade and food security
Aflatoxin contamination is a complex problem that can be addressed through integrated measures and concerted efforts
PACA’s 10 year strategy identifies priorities through an inclusive process
The Partnership’s vision: “An Africa free from the harmful effects of aflatoxins”

24. Contact us www.aflatoxinpartnership.org email: