FARA and Mycotoxins Management in Africa

FARA Seminar Series II

FARA Conference Room, Accra, Ghana

31 August, 2010

Seminar Report

Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa

PMB CT 173, Cantonments, Accra, Ghana

12 Anmeda Street, Roman Ridge

Tel: +233 302 772823Fax: +233 302 773676

Website: www.fara-africa.org

August, 2010

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Title: FARA and Mycotoxins Management in Africa

Presenter: -. Dr. Jonathan H. Williams, College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA. Coordinator, USAID supported Peanut Collaborative Research Support Program (CRSP).

Chairperson: Dr. Ramadjita Tabo, the Deputy Executive Director, FARA.

Discussants: Emmanuel Tambi, Walter Alhassan, Emily Nwankwo, Jonas Mugabe, Oluwole Fatunbi, Gbadebo Odularu, Alain Ange, and Robert Botchway.

Participants: (in addition to the aforementioned discussants) Tetsuji Oya, Gifty Battuta, Aimee Nyadanu, Muna Osei Bonsu, Daina Amene Anyomi, Akouvi Legbeze, Francis Kpodo, Joelene Anom, Ama Kesewa Ofori, Hawawu Adamu, Ernestina Assebri, Cynthia Nangsob, Cynthia Doggu, Priscilla Agyemang, Noah Bakuuro, and Eunice Clark.

Presentations

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Discussions:

A lively discussion was raised among the following major issues:

What is the food value chain analysis of the impact of aflatoxins if the grains are fed to animals before the animals are consumed by man?

What are the gender implications of your study? If gender is factored into the analysis, will it change the findings of the study?

If a counterfactual analysis is carried out in Asia, will this change the findings of the study?

What will be the role of FARA in advocacy and awareness creation on the health and food security implications of mycotoxins?

Aflatoxins have implications for three major components – public health, food security and trade. Given the vital role of agriculture in the African economy as it relates to regional and international market access for agricultural commodities, would you say that aflatoxins are barriers or catalysts to promoting agricultural trade in Africa?

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