Abstract
Aflatoxins occurrence in feeds challenges human and animal health. Farmers' awareness status of these toxins has an effect on their level of exposure. The study assessed the influence of socioeconomic characteristics of farmers on their awareness of aflatoxin contamination of feeds. Data were collected from 258 households and analysed by SPSS program for descriptive statistics and association between socioeconomic characteristics and awareness of aflatoxin contamination of feeds. Over seventy percent of the farmers had never heard about aflatoxins. Education level, specialization, and period of keeping animals had significant influence on aflatoxin awareness. Hearing about aflatoxins was six times higher among farmers who studied life or social sciences than those without specialization and those who studied other fields. Awareness that aflatoxins may occur in feeds was twice higher among farmers with higher education than those with lower education. Perception that aflatoxins in feeds are detoxifiable was threefold higher among young people (with ≤10-year period of keeping animals) than among older ones. Awareness of aflatoxins was particularly low among farmers with low education and those without exposure to life or social sciences and vice versa. Sensitization is recommended to raise farmers' awareness on aflatoxin contamination of feeds and incorporating aflatoxin knowledge in school curricula.
Highlights
Aflatoxins are toxins occurring naturally as a result of fungal metabolism [1]
A little more men than women participated in the interview, a phenomenon related to the tendency that majority of the household heads are men
The results show that likelihood of having heard about aflatoxins was six times higher among farmers who studied life and social sciences compared to those with no specialization and those who studied other fields
Summary
The toxins have been associated with various health problems in domestic animals and humans throughout the world [2, 3]. It is estimated that globally the region lying between 40∘N and 40∘S latitudes is generally at a risk of aflatoxin exposure through foods and feeds [2, 4]. Contaminated feeds are potential sources of chronic aflatoxins intake in human through foods of animal origin [5]. The toxins have health hazards to animals and humans through transfer into animal products [7]. Various studies have reported ill impacts of aflatoxins in humans. These effects include immune suppression, liver cancer, digestive disorders, fertility impairment, and central nervous system interference [8]. Aflatoxins have similar effects to those caused by HIV/AIDS and may intensify susceptibility to HIV/AIDS [9]
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