Africa-Press – Tanzania. THE Tanzania Initiatives for Preventing Aflatoxin Contamination (TANIPAC) is constructing a modern National Biological Control Unity (NBCU) at the Kibaha based district in the Coast region.
Upon completion, the 3.8bn/- facility is expected to play a major role in enabling the country to strengthen fight against aflatoxins in crops.
Tanzania is a leading producer of maize and groundnuts in East African region, accounting for two percent of the world’s production, but the county’s export rate of the two crops still remain poor due to effects of aflatoxins.
The crops are highly susceptible to fungal infestation and aflatoxin contamination which also affects the health of consumers. Aflatoxin is a known carcinogens and the leading cause of liver disease and liver cancer in Tanzania hence reduces the country’s export earning potential.
During an interview, the National Coordinator for TANIPAC, Clepin Josephat, detailed that the facility will help to regulate production of the same.
“The center, among others, will involve a state- of – the –art research centre as well as a special laboratory for undertaking aflasafe measurement,” he explained.
Giving further details, he stated that the ministry of agriculture had contacted the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) to produce aflasafe (the key fungus in suppression of aflatoxins). He observed, IITA had so far licensed the Arusha -based A to Z company to develop the fungus.
“Therefore, the Kibaha’s centre will assist the government to make a professional regulation of the aflasafe,” he noted.
