The document discusses the aflatoxin challenge in Africa and the Partnership for Aflatoxin Control in Africa's (PACA) holistic approach. PACA is an initiative aiming to coordinate aflatoxin mitigation across health, agriculture, and trade sectors in Africa. It takes an integrated approach focusing on prevention, policy, trade, capacity building, and awareness. PACA's strategy involves mainstreaming aflatoxin control in existing frameworks and having regional bodies, countries, organizations, and stakeholders lead implementation according to their strategic plan.

1. AMARE
AYALEW
PHD
PROGRAM
MANAGER
PARTNERSHIP
FOR
AFLATOXIN
CONTROL
IN
AFRICA
(PACA)
AFRICAN
UNION
COMMISSION

2. The Aflatoxin Challenge in
Africa and PACAʼs
Holistic Approach#
GLOBAL FORUM FOR INNOVATIONS IN
AGRICULTURE#
3-4 February 2014, ADNEC, Abu Dhabi#
#
Amare Ayalew (PhD), PACA Secretariat#
#

3. The Aflatoxin Challenge

4. 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 www.ipm.iastate.edu

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

6. Aflatoxins affect trade and efforts to
streamline SPS matters in Africa#
Picture
of
bags
of
groundnut
in
West
Africa
in
the
1970’s:
aVer
Aubee
(2013)

7. Health Impacts of Aflatoxins#
§ 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)

8. Factors in the Aflatoxin Challenge
in Africa:#
§ Conducive climatic conditions
§ Traditional crop production practices
§ Inadequate harvesting, drying and
storage 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. A ʻbag of tricksʼ(integrated valid options) to address
the complex aflatoxin problem:#
RegulaCon
Technology
soluCons
Policy
and
insCtuCons
Photo
credit:
africabags.org

13. The PACA Initiative and
its Main Approaches

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

16. Partnership for Aflatoxin Control in Africa: structure for
co-­‐‑identification of problems and co-­‐‑creation of solutions
PACA Steering Commi.ee
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
Subcommi/ee
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
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
aVer
Dalberg
Global
Development
Partners
(2013)

18. PACA Strategy 2013-2022:
Strategic Thematic Areas of Work#
1. Research and technology for prevention
and control of aflatoxins
2. Policies, legislation and standards for the
management of aflatoxins
3. Growing commerce and trade and
protecting human health from aflatoxins
4. Enhancing capacity for effective aflatoxin
prevention and control
5. Public awareness, advocacy and
communication

19. PACAʼs 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 2013-22 Strategy at PACA Website)

20. PACA derives innovations#
§ Creating demand for aflatoxin safe food
§ Creating demand for aflatoxin control
technologies
§ Supporting catalytic projects for
generation of new technologies
§ Promoting technology adoption
§ Creating enabling environment
(improving policies and institutions)

21. PACA Comprehensive Program
Food
Security
|
Trade
|
Health
Pre-­‐harvest
including
beneficial
fungi
20 March 2012 | Slide 21
Post-­‐harvest
drying,
storage,
handling
Market
development:
structured
demand,
alternaCve
uses
ConsumpCon
TesCng
(sampling;
diagnosCcs)
Training, communication, and capacity strengthening
Economic
Assessments
Food
Security
Assessments
Health
Assessments
Policy,
standards
and
regulaCons

22. PACAʼs theory of change#

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
§ The competitiveness of the African agriculture
is seriously undermined unless the aflatoxin
problem is addressed proactively
§ Approaches to promote innovations and create
demand for their use are vital in sustainable
management of the aflatoxin problem

24. Contact us##
www.aflatoxinpartnership.org
Email:
amarea@africa-union.org
wintas@africa-union.org
chungaw@africa-union.org