Project in Rwanda
Aflatoxin Mitigation through Education, Intervention, and Policy in Rwandan Dairy Products
Timeframe: September 2019 - September 2021
Funding: USAID
Principal investigator (PI) and lead institution
- Dirk E. Maier, Ph.D., P.E, Dept. of Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering, Iowa State University
Co-PI and collaborator institutions
- Erin Bowers, Ph.D., Dept. of Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering, Iowa State University
- Kizito Nishimwe, Lecturer, University of Rwanda
Animated Video (in Kinyarwanda language): Kurwanya kwangirika k’ umusaruro turwanya “mycotoxine” mu bihingwa nyuma y’isarura
Animated Video (in English): Postharvest Loss Prevention: Mycotoxins in Crops
Project Plan
Aflatoxins are fungal metabolites produced mainly by Aspergillus flavus and A. parasiticus that contaminate crops under favorable growth conditions. They have been documented to occur in grains and grain-based products, including animal feeds, throughout Rwanda. Aflatoxins are of importance to public health, notably causing liver cancer and childhood stunting, and to animal health resulting in negative production and health effects. Exposure principally occurs when humans and animals eat contaminated food or feed including, for humans, animal-source foods like milk, when they originate from animals fed aflatoxin-contaminated diets.
The main goal of this project is to improve animal-source food production and consumption through improved feed safety and quality.
Objectives
Specifically, this study will:
- Examine on-farm use of mycotoxin binders/sequesters in dairy feed as a strategy to reduce aflatoxin excretion in milk
- Document relevant seasonal fluctuations of aflatoxin contamination in feeds, feed ingredients, and milk (and contributing factors) to inform Rwandan Food and Drug Authority policy standards and their implementation
- Educate consumers and dairy farmers about aflatoxin contamination and prevention in dairy feed and milk.
This study builds on the previous project Assessment and Mitigation of Aflatoxin and Fumonisin Contamination in Animal Feeds in Rwanda.
More Information
October 2020 research update MAIER VGM (Virtual General Meeting)
Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Livestock Systems is part of Feed the Future
