Africa-Press – Malawi. The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) has dangled a potentially multi-billion kwacha aflatoxin industry opportunity to Malawi’s private sector amid estimated $88 million export opportunity the country loses annually.
The agricultural research institution developed aflatoxin remedy that has potential for aflatoxin-free produce after a research on the extent of the problem and how to deal with it in Malawi, according to IITA Country Director Sika Gbegbelebge.
After developing what it calls Aflasafe, which eliminates aflatoxins, the regional organisation says it released it to the private sector but for now, the product is being manufactured in Mozambique with efforts for an investment in Malawi to curb import costs.
“That’s where the private sector comes in to invest in local manufacturing and supply to Malawian farmers because we are just a research organisation with no commercial interest,” Gbegbelebge said.
Malawi’s export sector has been affected by aflatoxins especially in groundnuts, leading to import bans in some countries like the UK but according to IITA, there is need to regulate the issue to ensure even Malawians do not consume aflatoxin contaminated produce which pose a health risks like cancer development.
The organisation has since partnered with a local company, Anchorage Group,that will be responsible for local supply and has already engaged the National Small Holder Farmers of Malawi (Nasfam).
The company’s Aflasafe Project Manager Mwasipa Mfune, said in an interview that the product will be available on the market in August and apart from Nasfam, they are also discussing with other potential partners.
“With the Nasfam partnership, it will give us some leverage on their large base of sorghum farmers who will have to use Aflasafe because their market is strict on the issue of aflatoxin,” she explained.
In a separate interview Nasfam Farm Service Manager Funnie Muwa confirmed the partnership, saying its involving the organisation’s commercial arm NasComex which has been having aflatoxin issues with some produce from the growers.
“Having Aflasafe available in Malawi is a big step forward for Nasfam. It gives us a real chance to help our farmers control aflatoxin while crops are right in the field, so they can grow safer crops that meet market standards,” she explained.
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