Aflatoxins and fumonisins are two mycotoxins that are prevalent in cereals.Both toxins have associated and causal health effects in humans and livestock.Once formed in the substrates,the toxins are not easily destroye...Aflatoxins and fumonisins are two mycotoxins that are prevalent in cereals.Both toxins have associated and causal health effects in humans and livestock.Once formed in the substrates,the toxins are not easily destroyed.The preferred mitigation is to prevent contamination of the cereals and animal source foods.In this paper we set out to examine the practices of the farmers in two counties(Nandi and Makueni)in Kenya which exacerbates aflatoxin contamination and the government steps to address the issue in the agriculture and livestock sectors.The practices identified in Nandi and Makueni,respectively,included seed varieties where 19.3%and 56%are using local varieties;use of soil amendments where 5.8%and 181%are not using any amendments;crop rotation where 54.6%and 60.5%are not practicing crop rotation;22.7%and 37.5%are using wrong drying methods;and 53%and 77.1%are using poor threshing methods.The Kenya government is subsidizing fertilizers,seeds,increasing areas under irrigation,and providing extension services to build capacity of farmers to mitigate aflatoxin contamination.The paper examines also the cultural practices in land preparation,tillage,crop rotation,drying,sorting at farm,and proper storage as better alternative practices for easy adoption that would,if adopted,lead to a decrease in aflatoxin and fumonisin contamination and therefore reduce household exposure.Good agricultural practices should be a prerequisite for the adoption of other aflatoxin control technologies.展开更多
基金the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland for providing financial assistance that enabled this study(MFA 24819801)the communities in Nandi and Makueni for allowing us to carry out the study and Government officers in both counties for their facilitation.
文摘Aflatoxins and fumonisins are two mycotoxins that are prevalent in cereals.Both toxins have associated and causal health effects in humans and livestock.Once formed in the substrates,the toxins are not easily destroyed.The preferred mitigation is to prevent contamination of the cereals and animal source foods.In this paper we set out to examine the practices of the farmers in two counties(Nandi and Makueni)in Kenya which exacerbates aflatoxin contamination and the government steps to address the issue in the agriculture and livestock sectors.The practices identified in Nandi and Makueni,respectively,included seed varieties where 19.3%and 56%are using local varieties;use of soil amendments where 5.8%and 181%are not using any amendments;crop rotation where 54.6%and 60.5%are not practicing crop rotation;22.7%and 37.5%are using wrong drying methods;and 53%and 77.1%are using poor threshing methods.The Kenya government is subsidizing fertilizers,seeds,increasing areas under irrigation,and providing extension services to build capacity of farmers to mitigate aflatoxin contamination.The paper examines also the cultural practices in land preparation,tillage,crop rotation,drying,sorting at farm,and proper storage as better alternative practices for easy adoption that would,if adopted,lead to a decrease in aflatoxin and fumonisin contamination and therefore reduce household exposure.Good agricultural practices should be a prerequisite for the adoption of other aflatoxin control technologies.
