Akuafo Hub, an agriculture-focused project, has initiated an ambitious effort to combat aflatoxin contamination, a toxic substance produced by fungi that thrives in dried and stored maize.

The project aims to educate maize farmers across the country on proper maize processing techniques before their produce reaches the market. It also seeks to eliminate aflatoxin contamination in maize products, which poses serious health risks such as liver cancer and child stunting.

So far, about 2,000 maize farmers nationwide have been enrolled in the initiative. Through the programme, farmers receive regular voice messages in their local language, teaching them best practices in maize drying, shelling, and storage.

The Akuafo Hub project is part of the Centre for African Leaders in Agriculture (CALA) initiative under AGRA. It was developed by a team of food safety experts, agricultural policymakers, and digital innovators to bridge the knowledge gap for farmers, particularly those with limited literacy skills.

The team leading the initiative includes Prince Akoto-Adipah, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Chamber of Fertilizers Ghana; Peter Awin, CEO of Cowtribe Inc.; Mrs. Margaret Davids Opoku-Agyeman, Agribusiness Expert at the Ministry of Food and Agriculture’s (MoFA) Food Systems and Resilience Project; Dr. Ernest Bonah, Principal Regulatory Officer of the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA); and Adisatu Iddrisu, Head of the Fertilizer Analytical Unit at MoFA.

Scope

Speaking to Graphic Online, Ms. Adisatu Iddrisu, an agricultural expert, identified aflatoxin contamination as a major problem in the agricultural sector, particularly as it aligns with the government's flagship programme, Planting for Food and Jobs.

She explained that the voice messaging concept originated from Peter Awin of Cowtribe, an agritech entrepreneur who had previously used mobile technology to deliver veterinary services to farmers.

Leveraging this experience, Mr. Awin developed and implemented the mobile-based training approach, which now delivers life-changing information to maize farmers across Ejura.

For his part, Dr. Ernest Bonah, a food safety expert, said he led the development of the training curriculum to ensure farmers receive scientifically sound, practical information tailored to their realities.

Impact

Mrs. Margaret Davids Opoku-Agyeman, an agribusiness expert who played a key role in engaging local aggregators and MoFA extension officers, highlighted the significant impact of the intervention.

She noted that prior to the programme, only 37.7 per cent of farmers were aware of aflatoxins, but this had increased to 77.7 per cent since the project’s commencement.

“Over 85 per cent of farmers who received training reported changes in at least one unsafe practice, such as spraying weedicides to hasten cob drying or drying maize directly on the ground. The use of tarpaulin sheets for drying has increased by 24.8 per cent, significantly reducing contamination risks,” she stated.

Beyond education, Mrs. Opoku-Agyeman emphasized that the project has also created opportunities for young people, with over 300 youth trained in aflatoxin detection and post-harvest management.

Prince Akoto-Adipah, a finance and business development expert leading efforts to scale the initiative beyond Ejura, underscored the project’s long-term vision.

"We are working to ensure that more farmers can benefit from Akuafo Hub’s training while also linking them to premium markets where aflatoxin-free maize can fetch better prices," he stated.

He emphasized the importance of building partnerships with grain buyers, regulatory agencies, and agribusinesses to expand the impact of the project nationwide.

Kwame Poku, a maize farmer and beneficiary of the project in Ejura, lauded the intervention, saying, "I never knew my maize was unsafe. Now, I dry my maize on a tarpaulin, grade out bad grains, and store them properly. My income has improved because buyers trust my maize."

Mr. Poku recounted the challenges he faced before the programme’s introduction, explaining how he and fellow farmers dried maize directly on the ground, stored it in humid conditions, and even sprinkled water on maize to increase weight before selling, which accelerated aflatoxin contamination.

Through Akuafo Hub’s intervention, he now understands that aflatoxin contamination begins long before maize reaches the market, and he has since adopted safer post-harvest handling practices.