CGIAR scientists develop working groups to coordinate mycotoxin research

On 9-11 October 2013, participants from five CGIAR centres met at Naivasha in Kenya to share about their current activities related to mycotoxin research and to plan for how these different activities might contribute to the next phase of the CGIAR Research Program on Agriculture for Nutrition and Health (A4NH) mycotoxin research portfolio.

The meeting was attended by representatives from the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) and the Biosciences eastern and central Africa Hub at ILRI.

Scientists presented their current mycotoxin research activities, the research gaps and opportunities they see, and areas for development. In addition, IITA presented on Biocontrol using atoxigenic Aspergillus flavus and ILRI presented on risk analysis as the current gold standard for assessing, managing and communicating food safety. All presentations are available at https://aghealth.wordpress.com/presentations-at-the-second-joint-cgiar-meeting-on-mycotoxins.

The group agreed that mycotoxins were a key area for food safety and trade in Africa; that it was important to co-ordinate CGIAR activities across A4NH; that moving into a second phase of A4NH emphasis was needed on developing strong impact pathways that linked research with development outcomes.

To this end, the group established three working groups to plan and coordinate mycotoxin research across CGIAR centres:

• Evidence for risk and risk mitigation
• Diagnostics for use
• Population biology for control

Download the workshop report

 

Meeting report published on plan for CGIAR collaborative research on mycotoxins

On 3-4 September 2012 participants from five CGIAR centres met at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) in Nairobi to share about their activities related to mycotoxin research and to plan how these different activities might work together within the CGIAR Research Program on Agriculture for Nutrition and Health (A4NH) mycotoxin research portfolio.

Representatives attended from the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA),  the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) and ILRI.

The meeting report is now published, highlighting the key issues, decisions and action points.

Download the meeting report.

 

Five CGIAR centres develop plan for collaborative research on mycotoxins

Aflatoxin-contaminated groundnut kernels from Mozambique (photo credit: IITA).

On 3-4 September 2012 participants from five CGIAR centres met at the headquarters of the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) in Nairobi to share about their current activities related to mycotoxin research and to plan for how these different activities might work together within the CGIAR Research Program on Agriculture for Nutrition and Health (A4NH) mycotoxin research portfolio.

Representatives from the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA),  the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) and ILRI presented their current mycotoxin research activities, the challenges they are facing and opportunities for further work.

The group selected three major focus areas of mycotoxin research:

• risk and impact assessment
• values chains
• biocontrol

These focal areas were selected based on their potential to be used as platforms for other research and for the strategic opportunity harmonizing existing efforts within the CGIAR system would bring.

During the meeting, participants started to identify opportunities and potential partners within these major areas, and the refinement of this list will continue in the weeks following the meeting.

Partners working in the East Africa region attended part of the meeting to share information about mycotoxin research, the policy environment, mitigation efforts and levels of awareness and education in the region.

They also provided helpful input on the opportunities identified by A4NH researchers during the meeting.

A follow-up meeting is tentatively planned for January 2013.

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Article contributed by Amanda Wyatt of IFPRI.