Plant protection product trials: helping small-scale SADC farmers meet food safety standards

‘Any solution to the problem of aflatoxin formation will contribute to improved market access, guaranteed incomes, risk minimization and new investment levels in production and processing of groundnuts in the Southern African region.'

There are a number of plant protection products that farmers can use to help them meet food safety standards. However, before a product can be used in the production process it must be shown to be both effective and safe under local conditions. Product trials can be expensive and unless input suppliers are convinced that the size of the market justifies the expense, they are reluctant to make this investment. The aim of this initiative is to demonstrate that Afla-guard® is effective in limiting or preventing the formation of aflatoxin on groundnuts during production under Southern Africa conditions. Demonstration that Afla-guard® is effective and that the risk of aflatoxin formation could be minimised, together with initiatives to increase access to markets and technology, would mean that peanut production could play an increasing role in Southern African agricultural production, especially for small-scale producers in areas with marginal rainfall. Solving or controlling the aflatoxin problem will increase access to markets by SADC small-scale producers, in particular when more rigorous aflatoxin regulations are introduced.