By Nyima Drammeh
The European Union (EU) funded project under Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) Agriculture for Economic Growth has funded a five-day nationwide sensitization on the dangers of Aflatoxin which is unknown to many people yet, a silent killer.
The sensitization, which started on 20th August 2019, was carried out in partnership with the Ministries of Agriculture and Health; Food Safety and Quality Authority; traditional communicators and the Media.
The nationwide activity targeted major towns including Jarra Soma and Bureng, Brikamaba, Basse, Bansang, Kaur, Farafenni, Serekunda and Brikama Markets. Targeting large audience of people, the message is delivered in the form of drama by the popular Fansung Jamano drama group which attracts many due to the humor in their performance.
Speaking to members of the press during the tour, the national consultant for FAO, Dr. Faye Manneh of the National Agricultural Research Institute (NARI) highlighted the purpose of this sensitization, saying it’s to create awareness on the dangers of consuming crops infested with aflatoxin and how to mitigate it in terms of management practices which, according to him, starts from the farm.
Manneh noted that the FAO took interest in funding this activity with the aim of boosting groundnut production which has declined in recent years, and it has lost value in the EU markets due to aflatoxin.
The NARI official pinpointed that aflatoxin does not only affect groundnuts but other crops, including maize, rice and cassava.
However, he added that the major target is groundnut and rice, which are highly consumed daily by people and also sold as cash crops.
The Director of Health Promotion and Education at the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Mr. Modou Njai, spoke at length on the health implications of aflatoxin which people might be consuming on a daily basis out of ignorance; hence the need to transmit more outreach messages to the general public so as to control diseases that could affect the digestive, nervous and reproductive systems.
Director Njai cautioned that organs of the human system, such as the lungs and kidneys, could also be affected, noting that these are very difficult, if not impossible, to cure in the Gambia.
Stating that this has not been the first sensitization on the same subject, Njai, however, stressed the need to make more outreach messages using local communicators who use drama to convey the message.
Members of the audience in all the communities visited were given chance to share their ideas or ask questions with regards to the performance, or any other comments.
They also thanked the organizers for coming up with such initiatives, admitting that they have been consuming groundnuts on daily basis without knowing the health implications of aflatoxin. Many of them assured the visiting sensitization officials that they would be careful and live a healthy live.
