Aflatoxins are carcinogenic byproducts produced by common fungi that grow on grains and other crops, especially maize and groundnuts. They present a serious public health risk in many tropical developing regions and hinder the development of both domestic and international food and feed markets.

Since 2022, we have, through our local office in Kigali, enhanced pre- and post-harvest practices of maize by promoting regular testing, proper drying techniques, and training for key actors in the value chain, including farmers and regulators. In many developing regions such as Sub-Saharan Africa,markets generally do not incentivize the reduction of aflatoxins in crops because contamination and its associated risks are difficult to detect at the subnational level. 

Given that the molds responsible for aflatoxin production are influenced by multiple factors and must be managed throughout the entire value chain, from production to consumption, Sight and Life’s (SAL) strategy in Rwanda focused on facilitating cost-effective and field-friendly diagnostic equipment for aflatoxins detection.

Engaging with farmers through their cooperatives in the Eastern Province, SAL has addressed the challenges of aflatoxin mitigation by offering end-toend solutions. These include training farmers to use moisture meters to
accurately measure the moisture content of their maize and teaching them how to utilize available drying technologies to ensure maize is dried to 13.5% before storage. The training provided to cooperatives on aflatoxin
management has proven valuable, and a manual on best practices serves as a handy reference for them.