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IITA warns of aflatoxin, offering free testing

 

The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) has said integrated management of aflatoxin in the country will develop commercially ready cost-effective biological control that will improve crop quality, income and health.

Mkwinda: It will improve quality

Speaking in an interview at Chitedze Research Station in Lilongwe, IITA research technician Gibson Mkwinda said although there has been an increase in quantity of grains in the country, no corresponding improvement in quality and marketability has been done.

“Aflatoxin has serious health and economic consequences such as stunted growth, poor mental development in children, suppressed immunity, liver cancer and inhibited nutrients uptake apart from that trade in produce with aflatoxin is virtually impossible,” he said.

Mkwinda said IITA is currently offering free aflatoxin testing to farmers which is applied to crops in the field.

New Alliance Policy Acceleration Support (Napas) Malawi senior programme manager and policy analyst Arthur Mabiso said agricultural transformation will only happen if media communicates agricultural science research.

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