Abstract
Aflatoxin contamination in groundnut production negatively affects health and trade outcomes. Aflatoxin contamination can occur at any stage along the groundnut value chain. However, the stage immediately after harvest has proven to be the most critical stage in aflatoxin management. This study presents knowledge, perceptions and practices in aflatoxin management during groundnut drying and storage among smallholder farmers in Malawi. Using probability proportionate to size random sampling techniques, the study sampled 150 smallholder farmers from three districts in the Central Region of Malawi namely Lilongwe, Mchinji and Kasungu. Descriptive analysis of results indicates that 90% of farmers harvest groundnuts at the right maturity. Results also showed that 59% farmers prefer drying groundnuts inverted in circular patches while 70% store groundnuts in polyethylene sacks on racks. Further, the study found that 97% of the farmers in the sample are aware of aflatoxin contamination but only 28% were able to identify the effects of aflatoxin contamination. These findings have implications in the design of postharvest intervention strategies on management and control of aflatoxin in groundnuts.
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