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NCPB steps up fight against aflatoxins in maize value chain

Wednesday, October 21st, 2020 00:00 | By
NCPB managing directorJoseph Muna (right) presents a gift to Mediamax Network acting chief executive Ken Ngaruiya during a courtesy call at the board’s office in Nairobi. Photo/PD/ALICE MBURU

George Kebaso @Morarak

National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) is racing against time to promote various initiatives under its mandate before the October harvesting season in order to ensure their grain produce is safe, clean and fit for the consumption market.

The rush follows President Uhuru Kenyatta’s directive at the end of last month in view of the Covid-19 pandemic, which posed challenges to agricultural-based livelihoods and food security in the country.

Managing Director, Joseph Kimote, the board is partnering with Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organisation (Kalro) to avail the Aflasave technology to farmers in a bid to manage the aflatoxin menace.

Farm inputs

“We want to ensure that we give farmers a variety of farm inputs, which we strongly believe are useful in their various production activities,” he said.

For instance, Kimote added, the cereals board just launched a partnership with the Aflasave initiative and in order to be able to help farmers deal with aflatoxin challenges.

Kimote made the remarks when he received a team from Mediamax Network Ltd led by Acting Chief Executive Officer, Ken Ngaruiya at the board’s head office in Nairobi.

Kenya is one of the world’s hot spots for aflatoxins. Poisonous levels of aflatoxins have reportedly killed at least 157 people in the country and overconsumption of maize is also contributing to the country’s growing burden of cancer.

“However, we are sensitising farmers on the best ways of using Aflasafe.

It’s a special product produced by Kalro with support of the US government,” he added.

Aflasafe is a safe natural solution to the problem of aflatoxin that cuts its levels in maize and groundnuts by 80 to 100 per cent – down to safe levels.  

“A single application of Aflasafe by farmers protects food all the way to your plate,” he noted.

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