ISLAMABAD: An aflatoxins biological control facility is now available in Pakistan and will begin operating today (Thursday) at the Crop Disease Research Institute at the National Agricultural Research Centre (NARC) in Islamabad.

The Aflatoxin Biological Control Laboratory is the result of collaboration between the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and national stakeholders in Pakistan to strengthen the national agricultural system for the provision of improved quality food, CABI International Regional Director Dr Babar Bajwa said.

CABI is an international, intergovernmental not-for-profit organisation that provides information and applies scientific expertise to solve agricultural and environmental problems.

Aflatoxins are a group of toxins produced by fungi found in crops such as maize and groundnuts. They are toxic and can cause serious health problems for humans and livestock.

In Pakistan, the average aflatoxin contamination in maize is 60 times the level permitted in the United States.

To address the problem, the USDA introduced its biological control technology in Pakistan through a public-private partnership, led by the US company Ingredion and its Pakistani subsidiary Rafhan Maize.

The USDA programme will span several years and reach livestock producers to reduce aflatoxin in animal feed.

The project team is working towards the first registration and use of this bio-control technology in South Asia, where it is expected to improve food safety, strengthen food security and increase international trade.

Aflatoxin currently contaminates up to 25pc of crops produced by Pakistan, according to USAID. With the introduction of biological control technology, Pakistani livestock producers can access this technology to reduce aflatoxin contamination of locally produced animal feed, which affects milk and other animal products.

This effort is leading towards the first documented registration and uses of the afla-safe technology known as ‘AflaPak’ in South Asia, where it is expected to improve food safety and livestock health and further strengthen food security for over 200 million Pakistanis, according to a USDA factsheet.

International trading standards restrict the export of food commodities including maize from Pakistan that have aflatoxin levels greater than permissible levels. Consequently, these restrictions affect regional trade and cause economic implications for countries.

CABI has partnered with USDA, the NARC and Rafhan Maize Products to form a working group that will help implement the technology and to make ‘AflaPak’ a standard product used by a range of producers and on multiple crops.

Published in Dawn, February 13th, 2020