ASSESSMENT OF FARMER'S AWARENESS IN HARVESTING AND POSTHARVEST HANDLING PRACTICES FOR MANAGEMENT OF AFLATOXINS ON MAIZE IN MOROGORO REGION

Aflatoxins are toxins produced by certain strains of Aspergillus flavus that are found in several crops. This toxin is produced by Aspergillus flavus in food and feeds results in adverse health effects for humans and animals, as well as economic barriers to farmers and countries. This study aimed to assess the awareness of farmers in harvesting and postharvest handling practices for the management of Aflatoxin in maize. The assessment was conducted using questionnaire to capture data on bio-data information, farmer’s awareness on aflatoxin contamination, harvesting time, post-harvesting practices, and storage facilities. Statistical analyses were performed using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 25. The result shows that 65.63% of farmers in Kilosa and 67.28% of farmers in Gairo districts were aware of aflatoxin contamination. The study revealed that, during harvesting time, 92% of farmers at Kilosa and 98% of farmers in Gairo district harvest maize when completely dry. In drying practice, the use of canvas had higher usage compared to other practices where 42.70% of farmers in Kilosa and 16.70% of farmers in the Gairo district were using canvas. Additionally, it was observed that the majority of farmers in both districts store their maize by using storage bags/sacks that favor the rise of insect/pest contamination. The study suggests that there is a need for establishing an educational campaign for maize farmers on the effect of aflatoxin contamination to improve their awareness. The knowledge should base on harvesting, drying practices, and modern storage facilities that can reduce aflatoxin contamination.