The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) has warned that dietary consumption of aflatoxins is harmful for human and animal health causing liver toxicities, hepatocellular carcinoma, reduced immunity in humans and animals, reduced animal productivity, and growth retardation in children.
Aflatoxins are food hazards that affect food and feed during crop and livestock production, transportation, storage, processing, and all food handling processes leading to consumption.
The Head of IITA in Abuja, Prof. Lateef Sanni, who gave the warning in Abuja at the ongoing Food Convergence Innovation (FCI) Stakeholders Convention in Nigeria, said aflatoxins management is critical for food security and required attention.
Sanni reiterated the need to converge for sustainable management at farm level and across agricultural supply chains and the whole society.
He said the aim was to develop strategies and documents for aflatoxin management as a food hazard in national policies and also develop a road map for a ten year strategic advocacy platform for addressing aflatoxin risks in food crops.
Speaking, the Commercialisation Project Manager for Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), Tavershima Torhemen, said the realisation of food security in the country is feasible.
According to him, GAIN is working with Harvest Plus to accelerate progress in improving access to biofortified seeds, gains and food through the commercialisation of Biofortified Crops programme.
A participant from the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations, Prof. Chibundu Ezekiel, said the impact of aflatoxins negatively cut across several sectors including agriculture, the health sector, education, sciences among others.
“There is a need for urgent innovative, smart interventions and intervention that will integrate all partners, which the FCI is simply trying to converge all stakeholders on,” he added.