An under-recognized aspect of post-harvest loss is the contamination of crops with fungal toxins. Aflatoxins, a class of such toxins, cause a number of serious health problems including liver cancer, and are suspected of contributing to stunting in children. Due to a combination of ecological, climatic and agronomic factors, aflatoxin contamination is especially common in sub-Saharan African. Groundnut and maize, the crops most vulnerable to the fungus that produces the toxin, are staple foods in the region. 

In addition to its health impact, aflatoxin contamination threatens to lock smallholder farmers out of modernizing food value chains. Lucrative export markets have strengthened their regulation of the toxin and increased inspection rates in recent years. Meanwhile, premium processors in developing countries are also building capacity for aflatoxin testing. 

One way farmers can respond is by improving their post-harvest handling and storage practices, which are important determinants of contamination. A recent randomized controlled trial (RCT) found that providing farmers with information about recommended practices led many to adopt these. A series of videos were produced in both English, Ghana’s national language, and Gonja, a major language in the country’s groundnut-growing north, to spread these messages to farmers beyond those involved in the study. The videos introduce aflatoxin, instruct farmers on simple ways they can reduce contamination in their crops, and describe the growing market opportunities for aflatoxin-safe nuts. 

The farmer training videos, as well as a video describing results of the RCT, have been shared with NGOs and civil society organizations operating in Ghana’s peanut-growing regions. These civil society organizations are already engaged in advocacy to elevate prevention of post-harvest loss in the Ghanaian government’s policy agenda. These videos will allow them to also raise awareness of the impact of toxic fungal contamination as a post-harvest issue. Additional plans for dissemination include farmer screenings utilizing tablets or smart phones, and outreach to the Ministry of Agriculture and local government officials.