This project aims to develop teaching support materials in order to ensure gender equality in Ethiopian farmers’ training on food safety. The project includes assessing current women’s knowledge, designing new training materials, and implementing successful training programmes locally through the local mycotoxin training node.

  • DatesJanuary 2021-July 2021
  • SponsorQR-GCRF
  • Funded£28.5k
  • PartnersHaramaya University, Debre Birhan University

Impact and findings

Three hundred and fifty-two women were surveyed from two Ethiopian region producers of maize and peanuts. The first survey results are showing that 48.15% of women answered positively about knowing what mycotoxins are. Among these, 80.85% reported that mycotoxins are an organism (living or dead) and 71% stated that aflatoxins have no impact on health. Moreover, only 44.97% acknowledged that they could do something to prevent exposure. Further analysis revealed that only 0.24% of women have been trained on mycotoxins mitigation techniques.

Training through radio and village head were identified as the best routes to train women in Ethiopia with potential application throughout Africa.