Implementation and Stakeholder Engagement
Ghana | Reducing Aflatoxin in Maize
for Safer Food and Markets
In Ghana’s Ashanti Region, aflatoxin contamination posed a significant challenge
for smallholder maize farmers, affecting food safety, market access, and public
health. In response CALA delegates from Ghana, through CALA, initiated a data-
driven intervention to transform how rural farmers received and applied
agricultural knowledge.
The project aimed to fill the knowledge gap among farmers regarding aflatoxin
management. Due to limited literacy among most farmers, conventional extension
materials were ineffective. To overcome this, the team created 13 concise, one-
minute audio messages in the local language, offering guidance on best practices
for reducing aflatoxin risks from pre-harvest to storage.
Informed by baseline assessments that had revealed low awareness and poor
practices, the intervention was rolled out to over 2,000 farmers. The project
engaged key stakeholders, including policy experts, regulators, and community
leaders, to ensure broad support and contextual relevance.