Online Reporter
Sifelani Tsiko
Fact Check Editor
ZIMBABWE is ratcheting up moves to tackle one of the country’s most dangerous food safety threats—aflatoxins, poison that makes food unfit to eat and costs the country and Africa millions of dollars in lost exports.
In a speech read on his behalf, Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Permanent Secretary, Prof Obert Jiri told experts at a high-level sensitisation workshop on the development of an Aflatoxin Risk Management Programme for Zimbabwe, that the threat was silent but significant.
“Today, we confront a challenge that is as silent as it is significant. The threat of aflatoxins in our food and feed systems,” he said.
“This workshop is not merely a scientific or technical convening, it is a national call to collective action to safeguard public health, preserve market integrity, and sustain the productivity of our agricultural sector.”
Aflatoxin is a toxic chemical produced by a fungus, which develops on maize, groundnuts, sorghum, wheat and other crops during hot weather and droughts.
Public health experts say in large quantities it can cause cancer in humans, and it can also be fatal for animals.
The multi-agency initiative under the Aflatoxin Proficiency Testing and Control in Africa (APTECA) brings together the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa), government ministries, Harare Institute of Technology and international partners – the Texas A &M Agrilife Research in a major push to protect public health and secure Zimbabwe’s food security.
This programme highlights Zimbabwe’s commitment to safeguarding public health, enhancing food safety, and protecting livelihoods in various food supply and distribution chains.
Prof Jiri hailed the initiative for enhancing the accuracy and reliability of the country’s testing systems as well as strengthening Zimbabwe’s position in regional and international trade by ensuring agricultural exports meet global safety standards.
“We especially value the ongoing training of laboratory analysts and the provision of performance-verified aflatoxin test kits. These are practical, sustainable interventions that directly empower our scientists,” he said.
Authorities in Europe and the United States reject food imports that exceed strict aflatoxin levels and product returns have cost African countries more than US$750 million in rejected exports.
Africa loses more than US$750 million due to aflatoxin contamination, incurs significant healthcare costs particularly the burden of cancer and suffers food insecurity as a result of crop losses.
“African countries need to manage the economic and food safety risk of aflatoxin contamination to enhance food safety, food security and profitability for the agri-business,” said Prof Tim Herrman of the Texas A&M Agrilife Research.
“The key issue is methodology and how we can make testing of aflatoxin more appropriate. It’s a shared responsibility for the government, industry, regulators and all players. Through closer collaboration and partnerships there are mutual benefits that can be derived from shared responsibilities.”
Added Dr Mukayi Musarurwa, Comesa food safety expert: “As Comesa, we take aflatoxin management seriously and we want to push African countries to step up efforts to manage and eliminate aflatoxins in their food systems.
“We want this programme to go on, even when this ends. We need to sustain this process and ensure it continues even after international partners pull out.”
More than 6 billion people in poor countries are constantly exposed to aflatoxins by unknowingly eating infected foods, scientists say.
Reducing and eliminating contamination of African crops could offer considerable health benefits, Dr Melody Ndemera, a food safety expert at Harare Institute of Technology says.
“We need a robust mechanism to be able to manage and control aflatoxins. Emerging food and feed safety risks increase the disease burden for Zimbabwe and other African countries,” she said.
“We know that there are aflatoxins in our food but we are not sure about the level of the risk and quantities involved. Over time, aflatoxins cause liver damage and cancer in humans and in animals – there are risks of liver damage, reduced growth and immune suppression.”
Around 2005, about 125 people died after eating aflatoxin-infected maize in Kenya while in Tanzania the death of 14 people was reported a few years ago.
Apart from maize and its products, aflatoxin contamination has also been reported in a wide range of commonly consumed foods and products, including millet, peanuts, milk products, sorghum, rice, cassava, pigeon peas and animal feed.
