This document discusses using information and communication technologies (ICTs) to manage critical control points (CCPs) along the agricultural value chain to reduce mycotoxin contamination of crops. It outlines that mycotoxins produced by fungi contaminate many staple crops worldwide, posing health and economic risks. The Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) approach identifies specific practices at points along the chain where controls can prevent contamination. The document proposes using ICT applications like SMS and audio messages on mobile phones to deliver extension information to farmers on managing CCPs for seed selection, site preparation, harvesting, drying, and storage. This approach could help address challenges of training, monitoring, and record keeping through timely information to

1. Use of ICTs for management of Critical
Control Points (CCPs): Searching for
solutions that directly impact the farmer
Peer Assist’ Session

2. Introduction
What are Critical Control Points (CCPs)?
• CCPs refer to the points/practices
where controls must be applied to
prevent occurrence of a hazard
• Are components of HACCP
principle (Hazard analysis of Critical
Control Points) - a very popular tool
for food safety management

3. What are mycotoxins?
• Mycotoxins are poisonous chemical
compounds produced by certain fungi
• They are natural contaminants of food
and feed
• Several mycotoxins exist but only a few
of them have been widely studied
• 25% of world food crops are
contaminated with mycotoxins

4. Major mycotoxins and the fungi that produced
them
I
Mycotoxin
Fungi
Aflatoxin (B1, B2, G1, G2)
Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus
parasiticus
Fumonisins (B1, B2)
Fusarium verticillioides, Fusarium
proliferatum
Ochratoxin
Penicillium verrucosum, Aspergillus
ochraceus
Deoxynivalenol, zearalenone Fusarium graminearum
T-Toxin
Fusarium sporotrichioides

5. How do the mycotoxins get into the food
chain?
• Moulds or their spores are naturally
occurring in the environment (Air, soil)
• They can therefore infect the crops at any
stage along the value chain;
• Pre-harvest
• Harvesting
• Handling
• Storage
• While in the food, the moulds
produce mycotoxins as secondary
metabolites

6. Crops affected by mycotoxins
• Cereals – maize, wheat, millet, sorghum
and their products
• Legumes – groundnuts
• Oilseeds and edible nuts
• Cassava
• Milk
• Dried fish
• Beer
• Animal feeds – cotton seed cake, bran etc

7. Some of the moulds commonly found in food

8. Effects of mycotoxins
Health related
• Mycotoxins have various health effects on humans
and animals
•The effects vary depending on the type of toxin,
amount consumed and the organism
•Can be acute or chronic
Chronic effects
•Aflatoxicosis
•Liver cancer
•Immune suppression
•Stunting and growth retardation in children
•Liquid Encephalomacia in horses
•Pulmonary odema in pigs

9. Economic effects
•
64% reduction in food quality in Africa (WHO, 2001)
•
Each year, Africa loses USD$ 670 million in trade by not
meeting EU standards alone
•
In 2010, 10% of Kenya’s maize harvest was contaminated
by aflatoxin resulting in an economic loss of nearly $USD
100 million.
Reduction in marketable volume
Increased health care of affected people and animals
Decreased productivity of affected humans and animals
High cost of investment into research and management of
mycotoxins
•
•
•
•

10. Mycotoxin control strategies
• Improved agronomic practices
• Resistant varieties
• Biological control (non-toxin
producer strains)
• Improved postharvest handling:
drying to safe moisture levels,
cleaning/storing, dry storage
• Legislations

11. Why use HACCP in management of mycotoxins ?
• The problem of mycotoxins contamination
is very complex and hard to solve by a
single actor/approach
• Contamination can occur at any stage of
the value chain
• Once formed in food, mycotoxins can be
removed by processing

12. • The existing strategies are still limited
by
•
•
•
•
•
Inadequate extension service system
Limited enforcement of the regulations
Lack of incentives to farmers
Limited awareness of the value chain
actors
Un coordinated approaches

13. • The challenges associated with
management of mycotoxins has
elicited the need for proactive rather
than a reactive approach – thus the
use of HACCP
• HACCP
indentifies
the
procedures/practices (CCPs) along the
value chain that are likely to expose the
crop to mycotoxin contamination

14. •
The HACCP system therefore
incorporates many of the specific
measures already in place but in a
systematic manner
•
The major benefit of the system is that
specific points and factors conducive to
mycotoxin production are controlled and
monitored against specified critical limits.

15. Possible CCPs for in agricultural systems
• Seed selection
• Site selection and preparation
• Timely planting
• Pest and disease control
• Timely harvesting
• Post harvest handling (drying, sorting,
shelling)
• Storage

16. Challenges of managing CPPs
• Need for training and monitoring
systems
• Need for a robust extension
system
• Detailed documentation and
record keeping

17. Use of ICT in management of CCPs
•
ICT seems to have promising solutions
to the challenges associated with
management of CCPs in control of
mycotoxins
• Use of ICT applications to deliver
information to farmers through mobile
phones has been reported to be
cheaper and more practical compared
to the conventional extension methods

18. • The technology has been widely used
in disseminating marketing information
to farmers worldwide
• However, little has been done to
harness such potential to address
challenges related to crop production
and handling.

19. • This concept seeks to use ICT
applications as a platform to increase
access to extension information on
CCPs
to
control
mycotoxin
contamination in crops

20. Anticipated collaborators
•
•
•
•
Agronomists,
Food scientists,
Extensionists and
ICT experts

21. Anticipated applications
•Short Text Messaging Service via mobile
phones
•Audio messages via mobile phones
•Telecenters

22. Anticipated outputs
• ICT applications for timely delivery of
extension messages
• Improved safety of staple crops
• Increased market access

23. Thanks for listening