Fourth conference on Climate Change and Development in Africa

8 - 10 October 2014. Marrakesh, Morocco. Fourth conference on Climate Change and Development in Africa. Some 500 African climate research and impact communities representatives met in to agree on a research collaboration platform on climate science in Africa.

This meeting was organized under the aegis of the World Meteorological Organisation and ECA/Africa Climate Policy Centre "to devise an institutional platform for linking African climate science research and knowledge to inform adaptation decision-making in Africa", according to Ms Fatima Denton, Director of the Special Initiatives Division at the UN Economic Commission for Africa.

Breakout sessions: 

1. Sub-theme I: Improving and harnessing climate data, information, and knowledge for agricultural production, water resources management, and food security in Africa.
2. Sub-theme II: Agricultural opportunities for renewable energy development in Africa.
3. Sub-theme III: Enhancing Africa’s capacity to mobilize, access, and implement climate finance for agricultural development.
4. Sub-theme IV: Innovation and technology to enhance agricultural transformation in a changing climate.

Extract: Topic 4.1 Agricultural research and innovations with emphasis on low-carbon development

• Chair: Dr. Cosmas Milton Obote Ochieng, African Centre for Technology Studies (ACTS), Kenya
• Paper 1: Evidence of Impact from Successful Climate Smart Agriculture Approaches in Africa - Presenter: Dr. Mary Nyasimi
• Paper 2: Fighting climate change and feeding Africa using steep land: a green solution in an Africa grass species - Presenter: Dr. Effiom Oku
• Paper 3: Precision-nutrient sensitive based conservation agriculture toward sustainable intensification: Nitrogen and weed management in maize-wheat system - Presenter: Mr. Anthony Oyeogbe
• Paper 4: Use of Gliricidia sepium as coppicing fallow technology in efforts to improve soil productivity and food security for degraded soils and a changing climate of Tanzania - Presenter: Deodatus Stanley Kiriba

Side events:

1. United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) side-event
2. Network of Africa Science Academies (NASAC) side-event
3. Climate Change National Focal Point discussions
4. Gender, Youth, and Climate Change (in collaboration with ECA’s Social Development Policy Division (SDPD)) 
5. The Climate Change, Agriculture, Trade, and Energy Nexus
6. The role of the media in communication of climate-related impacts and adaptation options
7. The role of African farmers in local adaptation initiatives
8. Vulnerability of agricultural production in the African Small Island Developing States (SIDS)
9. Capacity Development for Climate Change (C3D+) (bringing the various national and global partners to this programme).
10. A focus on sharing lessons among the African pilot countries

Opening the meeting, Ms Denton prodded participants to conscientiously promote what she called "utilitarian science" that would help Africa to take its full place on the world's development train.

"This laudable initiative should aim at science that gives the power to the people; science that would allow the sahelian farmers to make strategic choices; science that will strengthen the productive capabilities of research institutions in Africa; and science that enables Africa to rise above current challenges"

She promised that under the auspices of ClimDev-Africa programme, the African Climate Policy Centre is initiating a -1 Million Dollar capacity building programme to support the training of young African scientists in all areas of climate change and development.

She traced ClimDev's support to the project back to its inception at the Arusha (Tanzania) conference and promised continued assistance in the provision of space, time and resources because the objectives of CR4D chime with the overall goals of ClimDev-Africa.

Dr. Ademola Adenle Oxford University Uk

Dr. Abdellatif Khattabi of the IPCC adaptation team and of the National School of Forestry Engineering in Rabat Morocco speaks about the influx of illegal migrants into Morroco enroute for Europe - attributed to the climate changes and other related social and political pressures.

Professor Yacob Mulugetta, Chair of Energy and Development Policy, Dept of science, Technology, Engineering and Public Policy, University College London.

Background documents

• Concept note
• Agenda of the conference
• Third Conference on Climate Change and Development in Africa (CCDA – III) conference summary report
• Second Annual Conference on Climate Change and Development in Africa - Outcome Statement
• First Conference on Climate Change and Development in Africa (CCDAI) - Final Report

Side event documents:

• Climate change, Regional Trade, Agriculture and Food Security – Methodological discussionConcept Note - Climate change Regional Trade Agriculture and Food Security – Methodological discussion.pdf
• The role of African farmers’ in demonstrating localized adaptation initiatives
  Concept Note - The role of African farmers in demonstrating localized adaptation initiatives .pdf
• Linkages between climate change and fragility in Africa - Adelphi Research
  Concept Note - Linkages between climate change and fragility in Africa.pdf
• ‘’Food Security in Light of Climate Change: Perspectives from the Youth’’ - Pre Youth Forum
  Concept Note - Food Security in Light of Climate Change,Perspectives from the Yout.pdf
• “Achieving an equitable phase out of carbon emissions by 2050” Understanding the Benefits and Burdens for Africa - Mary Robins
  Concept Note - Achieving an equitable phase out of carbon emissions by 2050.pdf

Fourth Conference on Climate Change and Development in Africa (CCDA-IV) Africa can feed Africa now: translating climate knowledge into action Concept note from Dr Lendy Spires

FARA visits Cuba

22 – 26 September 2014. Havana, Cuba. The Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA) led a delegation of stakeholders in agricultural research and development (AR and D) to the Republic of Cuba  to meet with Cuban authorities to discuss avenues for partnership and collaboration between African and Cuban AR and D institutions and agribusiness enterprises. 

At the margins of the International Congress LABIOFAM 2014 

and the 3rd International Symposium on Products 

for Cancer Therapy, 

LABIOFAM and FARA signed an MoU to establish a strategic 

partnership between the two organizations in areas of 

bio-products, agricultural research, technology dissemination 

and adaptation, science and technology.

The mission consisted of 

• Dr. Yemi Akinbamijo, FARA’s Executive Director 
• Dr. Emmanuel Tambi, FARA’s Head of Policy and Advocacy; 
• Dr. Emmanuel Okogbenin, Director of Research and Technology of the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF), Nairobi, Kenya; 
• Prof. Timothy Simalenga, Executive Director of the Center for the Coordination of Agricultural Research and Development in Southern Africa, Gaborone, Botswana; 
• Mr. Brian Mwanamambo Head of Agribusiness Incubation Trust Limited (AgBiT), Lusaka, Zambia; and 
• Ms. Marie Nkom Tamoifo, Head of Association Jeunesse Verte du Cameroun, Yaounde, Cameroon.

The FARA Delegation participated in the LABIOFAM 2014 International Congress co-organized at the Havana International Conference Center from 22nd to 25th September, 2014 by the Entrepreneurial Group LABIOFAM, Pan-American Health Organization, Cuban Ministry of Agriculture (MINAGRI) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). 

Organized under the theme: Natural Products in Cancer Therapy, the International Congress addressed issues of Biopesticides, Biofertilizers and Biostimulants for Agriculture. Scientists and professionals from more than 20 countries attended the congress that presented and discussed more than 150 scientific papers during the four-day congress.

AU calls for fight against aflatoxin in Africa

Rhoda Peace Tumusiime (2nd R), Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture of African Union commission attended the opening ceremony of the 1st Partnership for Aflatoxin Control in Africa (PACA) press conference at the Africa union (AU) conference center in Addis Ababa, capital of Ethiopia, Oct. 7, 2014. The conference was aimed at supporting agricultural development, safeguarding consumer health and facilitating trade by coordinating and increasing effective aflatoxin control in Africa. XINHUA PHOTO: MICHAEL TEWELDE

7-9 October 2014. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. This PACA Partnership Platform Meeting brought together the full array of stakeholders involved in the management of aflatoxins, including: African Union Commission, Regional Economic Communities, government ministries and regulatory agencies, companies, farmers, entrepreneurs, health organizations, civil society groups and the development partners.

The PACA Secretariat has given several awareness-raising presentations at key events, including the African Livestock Conference and Exhibition 2013 (ALiCE) on 26-28 June 2013 and the East African Farmers Federation (EAFF) Farmers Congress 2013 on 5 August 2013.

This 1st PACA PP created a forum had following objectives:

• Embrace the refined PACA Mid-Term Strategic Plan as a driving instrument for attainment of results and impact;
• Share implementation progress, challenges and receive input from stakeholders to enhance the effectiveness of PACA’s current activities;
• Exchange information, share experiences and lessons in afl­atoxin mitigation and management, including evidence from recent studies;
• Identify and deepen partnerships to create synergies and strengthen programs aligned with the PACA Strategy and Mid-Term Strategic Plan; and



Across Africa and around the world, 

numerous public and private funders are supporting 

to research, prevent and control aflatoxin contamination. 

PACA has begun to catalogue current and 

planned activities on aflatoxin in Africa. 

Activities range from research and analysis, 

development of new control technologies, 

scaling up existing technologies, 

or building capacity among key actors 

on the agricultural value-chains.

If you are aware of updates or additional activities 




that should be added to this list, 
please submit them using this form.




Click on the areas of the map for more details of 
ongoing or planned work in these countries and regions.

• Engage all stakeholders to support all efforts in the fight against a­flatoxins on the African continent.

Financing 
Extract of the agenda:

Session 12: Financing of Aflatoxin Mitigation Initiatives on the Continent

Panel discussion on specific challenges, opportunities, and innovative ideas to fund actions to reduce harmful effects of aflatoxin. Panel from private sector, public sector and philanthropy.

Panel Members:

• Dr. Dogo Seck, Secretary General of the Minister, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Equipment, Republic of Senegal 
• Mary Onsongo, Program Management Specialist, Agricultural Markets and Value Chains, USAID East Africa 
• Regional Mission
• Gerald Masila, Executive Director, Eastern Africa Grain Council (EAGC)
• David Adama, Coordinator Public Finance for Agriculture, ActionAid International
• John Cordaro, Global Business Advisor, MARS (invited)
• Moderator: Boaz Blackie Keizire, Head, Food Security and Agriculture Division, African Union Commission

Research needs: 

Extract from the: Aflatoxin Impacts and Potential Solutions in Agriculture, Trade, and Health. 

A Background Paper for the PACA Strategy Development 

– StakeholderConsultation Workshop

"Conduct further research on use of aflatoxin-resistant planting materials, including conventional and transgenic breeding". (page 5)

"Promote research on safe disposal and alternative use of unsafe commodities, such as biofuels or blended feeds (which in the aggregate conform to safe maximum levels) and finishing feeds, which can have slightly higher levels (300ppb) of aflatoxin without harming the animal". (page 5)

"Conduct further research on ammoniation and other commercial processing techniques". (page 5)

Resources:

• Press release CoastWeek 12/10/2014: AU calls for fight against aflatoxin in Africa
• PACA Partnership Platform Meeting 2014 Program
• PACA Secretariat Mid-Term Strategic Direction
• Pilot Country Activities Progress Report
• An Infographic on Aflatoxin Activities in Africa

Additional (Optional) Reading:

• PACA Strategy 2013-2022
• PACA Status Report (forthcoming)
• PACA Newsletters
• An overview of the PACA PPM Marketplace
• Regional Workshop on the Aflatoxin Challenge in Eastern and Southern Africa--Full Report
• Regional Workshop on the Aflatoxin Challenge in Eastern and Southern Africa--Summary
• Regional Workshop on the Aflatoxin Challenge in West Africa--Communique
• Overview of a Scoping Study to Assess the Policy and Regulatory Environment and Technical Capacity for Aflatoxin Control in Africa
• The Malawi Programme for Aflatoxin Control (MAPAC) Country Action Plan
• Aflatoxin Impacts and Potential Solutions in Agriculture, Trade and Health
• 10 Facts You Should Know About Aflatoxins
• The Relationship Between Aflatoxins and Stunting: A Summary of Current Research

Related power point presentation:

Dr Amare Ayalew, Program Manager – Partnership for Aflatoxin Control in Africa (PACA), African Union Commission from CatchTalk.TV

Aflatoxins: impacts on dairy production and trade- Dr. Benoit Gnonlonfin from African Dairy Conference and Exhibition

Aflatoxins impact on livestock and livestock trade from AFRICAN LIVESTOCK CONFERENCE AND EXHIBITION (ALiCE 2014)

Related meeting:
Expert meeting on Food Safety for Nutrition Security discussing aflatoxin

01-02 October 2014. Berlin, Germany. Federal Ministry for Economic Development and Cooperation (BMZ). Expert meeting on Food Safety for Nutrition Security discussing aflatoxin.

Announcement: Round Table on Food security in ACP countries

Announcements:
On 1 July 2014, Italy took over the six-month rotating EU Presidency.

In consideration of key events in the International agenda (such as the Post 2015 Dialogue, the 2nd International Conference on Nutrition -ICN2- and Milan Expo 2015, whose central theme is “Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life”) and of agriculture and rural development being indeed crucial in fighting poverty, food and nutrition security (F and NS) is an area of particular interest.

See brochure - SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEMS SUPPORTING FOOD

AND NUTRITION SECURITY, Italian presidency 2014

1. 13 -17 October 2014. Rome, Italy. Committee on World Food Security (CFS) 41st Session, "The impact of food safety on nutrition security", co-organised with the Global donor Platform (GDP). 
2. 17 October 2014. Bari, Italy. Round Table on “Food security in ACP countries”
3. 18 October 2014. Bari, Italy. Conference “From the seed to the food: cooperation, sustainable agriculture and food security” organized by CIHEAM, Bari, and the Italian Cooperative Alliance, October 18 

Related:

28 - 30 September 2014. Milan, Italy. Informal Meeting of the Agriculture and Fisheries Ministers. This meeting tackled the following questions:

1. What have been the main challenges for food security at the global and the EU level? Will these remain in the period beyond 2020 or will new ones emerge?
2. Which of the existing policy instruments have been successfully addressing the challenges? Why? In particular, is the CAP appropriate to tackle the food security issue?
3. What should be done at the EU level and what at the global (multilateral) level in terms of future policy instruments to address the challenges? And what is the sequencing of the measures that need to be introduced beyond 2020?

East Africa edition of the Master Class in Agribusiness Managemen

1- 3 October, 2014. Nairobi, Kenya. The AABS Agribusiness Consortium - AAC in partnership with the Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA) rolled out the East Africa edition of the Master Class in Agribusiness Management. The Master Class brought together a focused group of key stakeholders, including industry and private sector, policy makers, farmer representatives, development organizations, research institutions and academia.

Participants gained knowledge and insight and engaged in a 3-day immersion into Agribusiness and Value Chains. See what some of the participants said about the 3 - day immersion in Agribusiness Management here

If you are in the Southern Africa Development Community(SADC) region or you know anyone who is an Agro input dealer, Farmer, NGO, Processor, Trader, Buyer, Agribusiness company executive, Financial Institution, Research Institution, Academia and Policy maker , interested in Agribusiness and in the SADC region.

Apply for the Master class in Agribusiness management for Southern Africa which will be coming up in Johannesburg, South Africa from 10th – 12th November, 2014. Deadline: 27th October, 2014.

Business as a partner in development

24 September 2014. A new report, titled ‘Partnering for Impact: Supporting Systemic Change to Deliver the Sustainable Development Goals in Africa,' by Richard Gilbert and Beth Jenkins, evaluates the cooperation necessary to achieve the SDGs in African countries.

The report was launched in New York, US, on 24 September 2014, on the sidelines of the 69th UN General Assembly, at the annual Business Call to Action Forum.

The report was published jointly by the Harvard Kennedy School, Business Action for Africa, and The Partnering Initiative.

• Recognizing high rates of economic growth on the continent, the publication identifies the challenges of translating this growth into poverty reduction, and highlights poor education, health, security and food systems as threats to sustainable development. 
• It calls for multi-sectoral partnerships to become the “new normal” in development, and analyzes how such partnerships can drive systemic change across the continent. By identifying success factors and practical experiences of partnerships, the study hopes to inform collaborative efforts for greater scale and impact.

Extracts:

Guinness Ghana has engaged with the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, which is providing assistance as part of roots and tuber agricultural project (Root and Tuber Improvement and Marketing Programme) within its overall agricultural strategy (Medium Term Agriculture Sector Investment Plan), and the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), which has been actively supporting cassava cultivation in the country. (page 13)

SABMiller and GIZ support the Water Futures Partnership financially and contribute the core capabilities of their respective organisations. For example, GIZ builds the capacity of governments at the local level to establish robust policy and regulatory frameworks and institutions for effective water management. WWF provides in-kind hydrology and environmental expertise alongside The Nature Conservancy (TNC). (page 39)

PAEPARD Communication and Advocacy workshop

7 - 9 October 2014.  Brussels, Belgium. The PAEPARD consortium revisited its Communication and Advocacy strategy: objectives, target audience, key messages, and modes of delivery of the strategy. A draft implementation plan was developed with the roles and responsibilities of
project partners clearly indicated.

Objectives:

1. Make participants aware of the need to communicate further than their own context;
2. Build a shared joined communication and advocacy strategy;
3. Make participants involved into concrete communication and advocacy actions;
4. Set up a monitoring and evaluation device to mentor this strategy;
5. Leave tools after the project to ensure the sustainability of the communication and advocacy.

Following the workshop the strategy will be validated by the PAEPARD stakeholders through an online process. A working group was established to guide this process.

Background documents:

1. PAEPARD Workshop Objectives and Agenda_final.docx
2. Comms and Advocacy_Lessons Learned_031014.doc
3. Communication Report_Jan-Sept 2014.doc
4. Advocacy strategy for PAEPARD_151010.docx
5. PAEPARD Communication strategy_Draft_041010.docx
6. Communication strategy to influence policy.doc
7. Information_and_communication_strategy_PAEPARD_June 2008.doc
8. EC visibility manual for external actions

Other useful resources (not related to the workshop):

Most employees are overloaded not only with work, but also with information. Therefore, people often perceive the introduction of a new strategy as an additional burden, which is time and energy consuming. What would be effective ways to introduce a knowledge management strategy in an organisation? This FAQ from KM4Dev discusses first the basic principles of introducing a KM strategy. Further information:

• IFAD strategy for knowledge management (2007): English | French 
• IFAD KM framework/update (2014): English
• UNDP KM strategy (2014-2017): English

Accelerated Global Action to Meet Biodiversity Targets by 2020

From L-R: Event moderator David Ainsworth , CBD Executive Secretary Braulio Dias, Minister of Environment of the Republic of Korea H.E. Seongkyu Yoon, UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner, President of Korea Environment Institute Park Kwang-Kook, GBO-4 Lead Author Paul Leadley

6 October 2014. Montreal (Canada) and PyeongChang (South Korea)...Bold and innovative action is urgently required if governments are to meet the globally-agreed Strategic Plan for Biodiversity and its Aichi Targets by 2020, says a United Nations progress report on the state of global biodiversity.

Launched one year before the halfway point of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 and the United Nations Decade on Biodiversity, Global Biodiversity Outlook 4 shows that there has been significant progress towards meeting some components of the majority of the Aichi Biodiversity Targets. However, in most cases, additional action is required to keep the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 on course.

The Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020, and its 20 Aichi Biodiversity Targets, were agreed by the international community in 2010 in Nagoya, Japan, and have since been re-affirmed by the United Nations General Assembly and at the Rio + 20 summit in 2012.

Further resources

• Click to download the 4th Edition of the Global Biodiversity Outlook Report
• Download the report as a pdf:: Arabic - Chinese - English * - French - Russian - Spanish - Korean
• About the the 12th meeting of the Conference of Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity
• Press Release:Governments Assess Progress in Implementing Global Strategic Plan for Biodiversity
• Largest forest research conference worldwide opens this week in Salt Lake City
• Important milestone for European forest collaboration - EUFORGEN turns 20
• Convention on Biological Diversity - COP12, Pyeongchang, Republic of Korea, 6 - 17 October

Sino-African Agricultural Cooperation Conference, AgricExpo and Rural Agriculture Tours

21-28 September 2014, Nanjing, China. International Conference on African Agriculture, Rural Development and Sino-Africa Cooperation (CAARDSAC 2014)  Jiangsu International Agri-expo.

The aim of the CAARDSAC 2014 was to create a platform for better communications and scholarly exchange among managers and researchers in the field of African studies especially African agriculture, rural development and the Sino-Africa cooperation.

It was the intention of the conference organisers to allow sufficient discussion and exchange of ideas during the anniversary, conference sessions as well as the post conference field trips.

Themes included :

1. The African physical environment and agriculture
2. Impacts of climate changes on crops
3. Rural development of Africa at different scales with some examples or case studies. 
4. African natural resources constraints and opportunities, especially fisheries, land use and urban planning. 
5. Models of African rural development: present and the future problems.
6. China’s role as investor in African agriculture.
7. Sino-Africa cooperation in agriculture and rural development
8. Urbanization and its impacts on rural development in Africa
9. African culture related to agriculture and rural development
10. Other aspects related to African agriculture

Download the abstracts of the International Conference on African Agriculture, Rural Development CAARDSAC 2014

Co-Chairs of Organising Committee:

• Prof. LIU Chengfu Nanjing University, ChinaProf. François Bart Université Bordeaux
• Dr .Peter Johnston University of Cape Town

Co-Chairs of Scientific Committee:

• Prof. Bernard Charley University of Toulouse,France
• Prof. HUANG Xianjin Nanjing University, China
• Prof. ZHENG Feng Nanjing University, China
• Dr. Patrick Mbataru Nyambari Kenyatta University

African participation

1. Makarius C.S. Lalika ; Department of Physical Sciences, Faculty of Science, Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro, Tanzania
2. Ayansina Ayanlade ; Dept. of Geography, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria.  
3. Miriam Murambadoro, CSIR Pretoria, South Africa
4. Tibangayuka Kabanda ; Department of Geography and Environmental Sciences, North West University, Mmabatho, South Africa, tibangayuka.kabanda@nwu.ac.za
5. Dr Theodore Tshiabola Mwabi ; Lubumbashi DRC
6. Urassa, J. K. ; Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro, Tanzania
7. Ibtisam E. M. El Zubeir ; Department of Dairy Production, Faculty of Animal production, University of Khartoum, Khartoum North, Sudan,
8. Alexandra Mhula Links ; Economic Performance and Development, Human Sciences Research Council, South Africa
9. Lelani M. Mannetti ; Department of Conservation Ecology and Entomology, Stellenbosch University, South Africa.
10. Siphesihle Dumisa ; Human Sciences Research Council, South Africa
11. Okoli, I. Charles ; Department of Animal Science and Technology, Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Nigeria
12. Prof. Bernard Charlery de la Masseliere (French participant) Researcher ; Dynamiques rurales (Toulouse)
13. Patrick Mbataru; School of agriculture Kenyatta University, Nairobi
14. Steven Masvaure; University of KwaZulu Natal and HSRC
15. Kgabo Ramoroka Human Sciences Research Council, South Africa
16. Kizito Sikuka  ; Southern African Research and Documentation Centre (SARDC)
17. Sibongile Manamathela ; University Western Cape, South Africa
18. N. M. B. Nyoni ; School of Geography Archaeology and Environmental Studies, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
19. Leonard Musyoka Kisovi ; Department of Geography, Kenyatta University, Nairobi
20. Peter Johnston (Coordinator of the African Group); Climate Systems Analysis Group, Department of Env. and Geog. Science, University of Cape Town, South Africa
21. Francois Bart ; Universite Bordeaux Montaigne, France 
22. Prof. Zhang Zhenke (Facilitator) ; Director of the Center of African Studies of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China

Combating Aflatoxin in Malawi's Groundnuts

1-2 October 2014. Berlin, Germany. Federal Ministry for Economic Development and Cooperation (BMZ). Expert meeting on Food Safety for Nutrition Security discussing aflatoxin.

Two presentations were made during the expert meeting on aflatoxin control in Malawi:

1. Mischek Soko; MAPAC - Malawi Program for Afllatoxin control_MAPAC
2. Andrew Emmott; Twin & Twin Trading - Value chain control_A groundnut case study

Related PAEPARD blog post:
The Malawi Programme for Aflatoxin Control (MAPAC)

Related:
Published on 21 Jan 2013 Chronic exposure to aflatoxin, found in groundnuts and staples such as maize and rice, affects an estimated 4.5 billion living in developing countries and causes childhood stunting and around a quarter of all liver cancer globally. The toxin, caused by a fungus which grows on food during storage, also has an economic impact on many smallholders who are unable to export crops due to contamination.

 

Aflatoxin exposure from contaminated foods such as groundnuts affects an estimated 4.5 billion people living in developing countries and causes childhood stunting and around a quarter of all liver cancer globally. Twin has a holistic approach to removing the toxin from the diets of smallholder farmers in Malawi and is working to develop safe and profitable uses for contaminated nuts, including pressing for groundnut oil and processing into animal feed. Nuts are predominantly produced by women in Malawi and gender equality is integral to Twin's food safety work.

 

Aflatoxin exposure from contaminated foods such as groundnuts affects an estimated 4.5 billion people living in developing countries and causes childhood stunting and around a quarter of all liver cancer globally. Twin looks at the critical points in smallholder groundnut supply chains to address the causes of aflatoxin contamination and makes a series of recommendations to improve pre and post harvesting practices.

Why the private sector should be concerned about aflatoxin

1-2 October 2014. Berlin, Germany. German Federal Mininstry of Economic Development and Cooperation. Expert meeting Food Safety Nutrition Security, discussing aflatoxin.

Interview with John Lamb; Abt. Associates. He answers the following questions:

1. Why the private sector should be concerned about aflatoxin?
2. The mortality rate among chicken is strong evidence?
3. How should the chicken feed business be approached?

Related:
Presentations of John Lamb; Abt. Associates during the expert meeting:

1. John Lamb; Abt. Associates - The Global Challenge of Food Safety
2. John Lamb; Abt. Associates - Reducing Food Loss Associated with Aflatoxin Contamination

The importance of research on aflatoxin binders for the dairy sector in East Africa

1-2 October 2014. Berlin, Germany. German Federal Mininstry of Economic Development and Cooperation. Expert meeting Food Safety Nutrition Security, discussing aflatoxin.

Interview with Erastus Kangethe (Univ. Nairobi). He answers the question about the importance of research on aflatoxin binders for the dairy sector in East Africa.

Related PAEPARD blogpost:

• Safe food saves life: Dealing with aflatoxin : August 9, 2014
• Comprehension and action required for successful aflatoxin control : April 11, 2014

Hannu Korhonen (MTT Agrifood Research Finland)

Vivian Hoffmann (IFPRI) ;

Erastus Kangethe (Univ. Nairobi); Johanna Lindahl (ILRI, Nbo); 

Vesa Joutsjoki (MTT Agrifood Research Finland) at the

Expert meeting Food Safety Nutrition Security, 

discussing aflatoxin. (Berlin 1-2/10/20014)

The FoodAfrica research for development programme aims for improved food security by providing tools and information to local smallholders, experts and authorities in West and East Africa.

The programme involves several Finnish and African research institutions. FoodAfrica is coordinated by MTT Agrifood Research Finland and its main funding agency is the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland.

Quite a lot of research has been conducted on aflatoxins but FoodAfrica is the first project that is focusing on putting economic figures on the effects of aflatoxin on livestock and potential health risks caused by contaminated milk.

Many of the farmers who don’t understand the risk would feed moldy or spoilt maize to animals as feed, and drink the milk from these animals, which is the problem we are focusing on within the FoodAfrica programme, says Professor Erastus Kangethe from the University of Nairobi.

6th African Consumer Protection Dialogue Conference in Lilongwe

8-10 September 2014. Lilongwe, Malawi. Delegates to the 6th African Consumer Protection Dialogue Conference in Lilongwe have adopted the African Dialogue Cross Border Cooperation Principles, initially launched in a Statement of Intent at the 5th African Consumer Protection Dialogue Conference held in Livingstone, Zambia last year September.

Jointly hosted by the COMESA Competition Commission, Competition and Fair Trading Commission-CFTC of Malawi and the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, the conference brought together 77 delegates from 20 countries, including the United States.

Malawian Minister for Industry and Trade, 

Hon. Joseph Mwanamveka (MP), at the 

6th Annual African Consumer Protection 

Dialogue Meeting

According to a joint press release from the organisers, the Statement of Intent was formulated in recognition of the need for effective and enhanced cross border collaboration between and among the participating consumer protection and competition agencies as well as agencies dealing with criminal investigations such as Interpol, in dealing with the traditional and emerging consumer rights violation issues.

"The Livingstone Statement of Intent also outlined each provision of the African Dialogue Cross Border Cooperation Principles, including the mechanisms participating agencies intend to use to work towards effective collaboration and enforcement of cross border consumer protection violations," reads part of the statement.

And in order to effectively implement the African Dialogue Principles, delegates agreed on a Proposed Implementation Framework.

The statement from the organisers says delegates set up Working Committees to coordinate specific tasks and resolved to report on progress in March 2015 and at the 7th African Dialogue Annual Conference.

1. AGENDA
2. EVENT SPEAKERS
3. EVENT MATERIALS

African Consumers International Facebook page

Free e-learning courses on Information Management and Knowledge Sharing

2 October 2014. The IMARK Steering group announced the publication of the new IMARK website www.imarkgroup.org . Visit the new website to have unlimited access to free e-learning courses on Information Management and Knowledge Sharing and learn anytime, anywhere and at your own pace.

Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA), Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), Centre de coopération internationale en recherche agronomique pour le développement (Cirad), Groupe de recherche et d'échanges technologiques (GRET), International Network for the Availability of Scientific Publications (INASP), Association for Progressive Communications (APC), Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie (AUF), Bibliotheca Alexandrina (BA), United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Commonwealth of Learning (COL), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) and Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

Translating African European research into practical societal development and Green Economic Growth

1 October 2014. Brussels. European Liaison Office of the German Research Organisations (KoWi) Belgium. This Seminar was hosted by the FP7 research project EAU4Food, which targets the innovation of irrigation in Africa.

By the true transdisciplinary research applied, an enhanced uptake of the project had been achieved.  For this Seminar the organisers inviting a wider stakeholder group from different embassies, UNEP, EC organizations, and Journalists.

In order to illustrate on-going partnerships between European and African scientists and stakeholders, a short movie was produced with a focus on agriculture, water and climate change in Africa.

EAU4Food is executed in four irrigated zones in Africa, which were purposely selected to be in the southern hemisphere (Mozambique and South-Africa), the northern hemisphere (Tunisia), West Africa (Mali) and East Africa (Ethiopia) to fully benefit from the potential of cross distributing promising strategies and innovations. At each site, key indicators, farm strategies and biophysical parameters are monitored for identification of current constraints to food production and to evaluate agro-ecological and socio-economic impacts of improved practices and/or innovations after implementation.

Expert meeting on Food Safety for Nutrition Security discussing aflatoxin

Front: Lynn Brown (WB)

01-02 October 2014. Berlin, Germany. Federal Ministry for Economic Development and Cooperation (BMZ). Expert meeting on Food Safety for Nutrition Security discussing aflatoxin. A one-and-a-half-day expert meeting welcomed up to 40 participants (Platform members and guests from partner organisations) with following objectives:

• to have a better understanding of the specific nutritional effects and the impact of consuming small or moderate levels of aflatoxin over a long period
• to identify the gaps in knowledge on appropriate solutions for aflatoxin control to address achieve higher quality food and improve food and nutrition security
• to prioritise potential innovative and effective strategies for the Platform’s involvement to address the multiple threats of global food safety and its impact on human health, food and nutrition security, agriculture, and economic development based on existing evidence.

Outputs:

2nd Right: Monika Midel (GDPRD)

1. enhanced understanding of the opportunities and challenges for policy and investment in research and measures for aflatoxin control with concrete examples and tools. 
2. The meeting report will summarise the results and recommendations of the event and provide recommendations concerning the issues of food and nutrition security and food safety. The discussions of the event can lead to the development of a document mapping the donors’ work in aflatoxin control and the gaps where work is needed.

John Lamb and Andrew Emmott

Final agenda
List of participants

Presentations
Opening panel: Aflatoxins in food systems and impact on health and nutrition

• John Lamb; Abt. Associates - The Global Challenge of Food Safety
• Jef Leroy; IFPRI - Aflatoxin and Child Stunting
• Amare Ayalew; PACA - The PACA Perspective of Aflatoxin Control in Africa

Case Studies: Concrete case studies of aflatoxin control – what works?

Hannu Korhonen (MTT Agrifood Research Finland)

Vivian Hoffmann (IFPRI) ; 

Erastus Kangethe (Univ. Nairobi); Johanna Lindahl (ILRI, Nbo); 

Vesa Joutsjoki (MTT Agrifood Research Finland)

• Ranajit Bandhyopadhay; IITA - Biocontrol Centric Aflatoxin Management in Africa and its Potential Application in India
• Johanna Lindahl; ILRI - Combating aflatoxins_can we win the war
• Johnson Kiragu; TechnoServe - Need Identification for Aflatoxin Training
• Mischek Soko; MAPAC - Malawi Program for Afllatoxin control_MAPAC

Breakout Group Discussions

Group 1: Value chain control

• Andrew Emmott; Twin & Twin Trading - Value chain control_A groundnut case study

Group 2: Capacity Building

• Kerstin Hell; IITA - Awareness raising and capacity building to combat aflatoxin in Africa
• Clare Narrod; University of Maryland - Knowledge and Practices of Aflatoxin Control Amongst Rural Farmers Role of Capacity Building in Promoting Behavioural Change

Group 3: Food Losses

Johson Kiragu (Technoserve Kenya);
Misheck Soko (Dep. Agric. Research
Services, Malawi)

• John Lamb; Abt. Associates - Reducing Food Loss Associated with Aflatoxin Contamination

Related upcoming meetings:

• 13/10/2014. Lilongwe. Nut in shell assessment.
• 07-09/10/2014. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia at the African Union Commission headquarters. The first Partnership for Aflatoxin Control in Africa (PACA). 
• 26–28 May 2015. Livingstone, Zambia 1st African Symposium on Mycotoxicology - Reducing mycotoxins in African food and feed

Related (1):
Scoping economicaly viable mechanisms that deliberately pul aflatoxin out of human food chains
Andrew Emmot & Andy Stephens
July 2012, 90 pages.

• This report promotes a paradigm shift that would see the informal value chains responsible for feeding the majority of the population receiving greater atention and asistance. Improvements which reduce the negative public health impacts of aflatoxin wil also improve the quality of groundnuts entering formal value chains. 
• The report recommends that value chains are developed to deliberately pul aflatoxin out of the domestic formal and informal human food chains to drive improvements in food safety, food security and public health within Malawi.
• Potential uses of non compliant and waste groundnut material are explored through interviews with key stakeholders in the sector and a literature review. Two complementary case studies outlining a sector wide program to improve the quality of groundnuts in formal and informal food chains have been developed from which key recommendations are proposed.

Aflatoxins: Finding Solutions for Improved Food Safety by Andrew Emmott from International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) (1,495 views as per 01/10/2014)

Related (2)

PAEPARD blog post:
Aflatoxins: Finding Solutions for Improved Food Safety

The nineteen briefs in this set thus provide different perspectives on aflatoxin risks and solutions.

Jef Leroy
IFPRI

Extract 1: Aflatoxins: Finding Solutions for Improved Food Safety
Child Stunting and Aflatoxins. JEF L. LEROY (IFPRI)

Extract 2: Market-led Aflatoxin Interventions: Smallholder Groundnut 

Value Chains in Malawi. ANDREW EMMOTT

Groundnut oil has been identified by Malawi’s National Export Strategy as a key regional export and import-substitution product in the country’s effort to diversify from tobacco dependency. Once contaminated nuts have been pressed into oil, a simple filtration process that removes protein can significantly reduce aflatoxins to safe levels. This results in both a nutritious product and access to value-added markets for crops.    

The waste product of pressing groundnuts for oil, known as press cake, can be treated with clay for safe use in animal feed. The contaminated press cake is added to normal feed and mixed with clay, which binds with the toxin while the food is digested by livestock. Clay feed additives are already used extensively in the United States and the EU as anti-caking agents to improve the physical properties of feed.

FARMD (November 2013) | This interview with Andrew Emmott, Senior Nut Specialist for Twin & Twin Trading, discusses aflatoxin risk management generally and what risks are posed by aflatoxin contamination. The work of Twin in this area is specifically highlighted and more specifically the ways in which Twin helps smallholders better manage their aflatoxin risk by understanding aflatoxin contamination as a barrier to trade and as a human health risk.

Related (4): Mycotoxin sampling tool of FAO

This Mycotoxin Sampling Tool provides support in analysing performance of sampling plans, and determining the most appropriate plan to meet user’s defined objectives:
The user can evaluate the effect of varying sampling plan design parameters, such as sample size, on the performance of the sampling plan.
Using the performance information, the user can determine the most appropriate mycotoxin sampling plan to minimize risk of misclassifying lots considering available resources.

The USER GUIDE provides step by step guidance on how to use the Mycotoxin Sampling Tool in 26 mycotoxin-commodity combinations.

Related (5): Other PAEPARD Blogposts about aflatoxin

· Intensive training on mycotoxin analysis 2014
Sep 04, 2014. This training session aims teaching the trainees the fundamentals of the most important analytical methodologies (ELISA, HPLC, LC-MS/MS,…) for mycotoxin analysis in food and feed.
· Safe food saves life: Dealing with aflatoxin
Aug 09, 2014. ILRI is determining the risks posed to such different groups of people by exposure to aflatoxin-contaminated milk in a 'My-Dairy' project in Kenya funded by Finland's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
· PAEPARD: Climate change and mycotoxin prevalence
Jun 02, 2014. It is assumed that the highest mycotoxin risks will be observed not only in countries with tropical climates but also in countries with temperate climates, such as parts of Europe and the United States of America.
· Comprehension and action required for successful aflatoxin
Apr 11, 2014. Quite a lot of research has been conducted on aflatoxins but FoodAfrica is the first project that is focusing on putting economic figures on the effects of aflatoxin on livestock and potential health risks.
· East African Community workshop on Aflatoxin
Mar 15, 2014 A two-day regional workshop on Aflatoxin Control Program was organized by the EAC Secretariat with the support of (USAID) and International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) .
· Malawi Programme for Aflatoxin Control (MAPAC)
Nov 19, 2013. The Malawi Programme for Aflatoxin Control (MAPAC) (September 2013, 54 pages) , developed in this document, represents an initial effort to create a shared vision, prioritize entry points and create mechanisms for effective coordination.
· Smartphone App Offers Cheap Aflatoxin Test
Nov 09, 2013. Data from the tests will also be automatically uploaded online to create real-time, open-access maps of aflatoxin outbreaks for research.
· Aflatoxins: Finding Solutions for Improved Food
Nov 06, 2013. The nineteen briefs in this set thus provide different perspectives on aflatoxin risks and solutions.
· Is a common food fungus worsening the AIDS ...
Aug 01, 2013. “Our work suggests study that aflatoxin exposure may be taking an even greater toll in areas where millions are infected with HIV, including Africa and Asia, the latter with a fast-growing HIV population
· Aflatoxin control project receives approval
Jul 06, 2012. The Control of Aflatoxin Conta-mination in Maize and Peanuts project has received approval from the Kenya Standing Technical Committee on Import and Export (KSTCIE) to do on-farm testing of aflasafeKE01.
· G20 Mexico 2012 launched an innovative Fund
Jun 23, 2012. Encouraging innovative distribution of a breakthrough technology to reduce aflatoxin contamination. The aflatoxin control pilot will provide incentives for smallholder farmer adoption of a particularly promising aflatoxin control
· Biocontrol product developed by IITA reduces aflatoxin
Mar 28, 2013. 26 February 2013. Feeding poultry with maize treated with a biocontrol product for controlling aflatoxins - aflasafe™
· IITA partners launch initiatives to tackle killer aflatoxin
Jun 26, 2011. A new strategy in combating the aflatoxin-causing fungus Aspergillus flavus was recently launched in Nigeria. The project funded by Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation aims to develop a biocontrol technology.
· Mycotoxin reduction – Global solutions
Apr 07, 2011. The MycoRed Africa 2011 Conference brought together a range of international experts to discuss mycotoxicological issues in general and mycotoxin reduction measures in particular.

Related (6): Aflatoxin videos:

Drying and storing chillies
Practical ideas about proper harvesting, drying, grading and storage of chillies

Farmers in southern Malawi have come up with their own clever ways to harvest, dry, grade and store their chillies. To remove the pain in their hands after harvesting the chillies, they use various techniques. The biggest enemy of stored chillies is moisture, as this may result in your chillies getting mouldy and developing a poisonous product, called aflatoxin. Therefore avoid keeping your chillies in a polythene sack as moisture can build up in the sack.

Solar drying of chillies
Dry your food faster and more hygienically by using a solar dryer that uses the heat of the sun
When chillies remain moist, moulds develop and the chillies will go bad. Some moulds produce a poison, called aflatoxin, which is toxic to people. To speed up drying and to dry your food hygienically you can use a solar dryer that uses the heat of the sun to dry fruits and vegetables. Solar dryers come in many shapes and sizes, but the principles stay the same. In this video, we will learn how to make and use a simple solar dryer to dry chillies.