The East African Community has formed a group to fight aflatoxins in the region. The East African Community Regional Experts Working Group on Aflatoxins (REWGA) was constituted during a meeting in Bujumbura last week to help combat the poison.

Burundi’s Minister for Agriculture Odette Kayitesi, who opened the workshop, said the group is expected to contribute to food security and safety by controlling  aflatoxins in the region.

Aflatoxins are toxic substances produced by fungal species during their growth. 

Aflatoxins pose adverse health and economic effects along the food production and supply value chain. In particular, aflatoxins undermine efforts to improve nutrition and enhance agricultural production. They minimise economic gains from agricultural products, especially for small scale farmers.

REWGA’s role is to create public awareness, training, research and development as well as setting appropriate standards and regulations to ensure that products comply with both regional and international market requirements.

“The EAC Secretariat has prioritised the control and prevention of  aflatoxins and we take cognisance of the unprecedented threat aflatoxins pose to health, trade and food security in the region,” he said.

The main cereals affected are maize, sorghum, rice and wheat and other crops like groundnuts and cassava. Aflatoxins cause liver cancer, suppresses the immune system, and retards the growth and development of children.

Aflatoxins have been associated with various diseases in livestock such as aflatoxicosis.

Aflatoxin contamination is not adequately and appropriately controlled or regulated within the EAC region as most foodstuffs are produced and consumed locally with limited or no testing by the relevant regulatory authorities.

As a result, millions of people in East Africa consume high, unsafe levels of Aflatoxin through their diets on a daily basis.

The EAC Secretariat is spearheading implementation of a regional project aimed at preventing and controlling adverse impacts of along the food and feed value chains in the EAC region.

The Multi-Regional Aflatoxin Abatement Project (MRAAP) is implemented by EAC with financial support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAid) Regional Office for East Africa. 

The main expected output from the project will be an  overarching EAC Regional Policy on aflatoxin abatement.