Why maize causes trade tensions between Kenya and its neighbors

There was confusion in the East African grain market this week after Kenya banned maize imports from Tanzania and Uganda. The Agriculture and Food Authority said the reason for the ban was that mycotoxin levels in corn from both countries were above safe limits. But in less than a week, the Kenyan government appeared to back down and announced that it had asked its trading partners in the East African Community to adopt sanitary and phytosanitary standards on products. agriculture before reaching Kenya. We asked Timothy Njagi Njeru, development economist and researcher specializing in agricultural development and innovation in sub-Saharan Africa, to shed light on the events.

What is the problem?

Kenya initially imposed the ban because it said grains from Tanzania and Uganda contained high levels of mycotoxins.

Mycotoxins are toxic compounds produced by certain types of mold that grow on foodstuffs such as grains and nuts under hot, humid conditions, before or after harvest. Aflatoxins are among the most toxic mycotoxins and can grow in soil as well as on food. Research has shown that mycotoxins can damage DNA and cause cancer in animals.

Within the framework of the East African Community common market – to which all three countries belong – safe rules have been established for aflatoxins in maize. These vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. The East African Community standard is 10 parts per billion, the US standard is 20 parts per billion while the EU standard is four parts per billion.

In the East African Community, every country applies the safety standard. In Kenya, the ministries of agriculture and health are mandated to enforce food safety standards. These ministries work with customs authorities to control food imports. The Agriculture and Food Authority, under the Ministry of Agriculture, carries out checks to determine the levels of aflatoxins in the food supply system.

But the systems put in place for the tests are flawed. For example, Kenya does not have a standard method of sampling and analyzing aflatoxins. This is essential because aflatoxin levels can differ between grains collected in the same bag. This was illustrated a few years ago when various government laboratories were subjected to scrutiny for results showing different levels of aflatoxins for grain samples taken from an imported shipment.

Another challenge is that not all labs use the same protocols.

It becomes more cloudy. Currently, important players such as large grain mills are carrying out their own tests.

Standardization of the sampling methodology would make the results more consistent. The credibility of the results improves food security and certainty for traders and consumers of maize.

What is the significance of what happened?

The events of the past few days have raised awareness of food safety standards in the region. Sophisticated maize consumers in Tanzania and Uganda are likely to be more interested in aflatoxin standards and how they are applied to their domestic markets.

Developments are also important for farmers in both countries, but particularly in Tanzania. Ugandan farmers mainly cultivate maize as [cash crop](https://businessfocus.co.ug/ugandas-top-10-most-exported-crops-revealed/#:~:text=Ugandan%20farmers%20are%20currently%20counting,from%20US%2470.17m%20 ( Shs259.), And Kenya is a key market destination. In Tanzania, Kenya is a niche market offering better prices than domestic prices. Any disruption to trade with Kenya would mean that farmers would suffer huge losses.

Third, it could potentially be a big win for food security in Kenya. The government intervening to ensure food safety will educate producers and consumers. If sustained, Kenya will advance in food security in food supply chains.

It is clear from Kenya’s statement lifting the temporary ban that the authorities intend to take a firm stand on maize import controls. Corn importers will now need to register and inbound shipments will need to be accompanied by a certificate of compliance with aflatoxin levels.

Along with this, traders have to provide details about their warehousing.

Is imported maize a problem for Kenya from a food security perspective?

The high levels of aflatoxins in imports from the region are associated with the fact that the products are not properly dried. For example, Ugandan produce is regularly harvested and immediately transported to Kenya from the farm. Corn should be dried to a moisture content of 13% before storage. Some of the maize is believed to have up to 18% moisture, which means that once the maize is harvested, it is immediately sold and shipped to Kenya from these countries.

Kenya depends on maize from Uganda and Tanzania to meet its demand every year. According to data from the Ministry of Agriculture, Kenya imported about 277,350 tonnes of maize (3.1 million 90 kg bags) in 2020. About 95% of this amount came from Uganda and Tanzania. This year, it was estimated that the country should import similar amounts to ensure food security.

Kenya’s maize production was around 3.8 million tonnes (42 million bags). Some of these also contain aflatoxins. The main reason for local contamination remains poor storage and transportation, as well as soil contamination, especially in low lying areas (lower eastern region) which have wet and humid conditions.

For this reason, aflatoxins in maize supply systems cannot be attributed only to imports from the two countries.

But the focus is now on imports, as Kenya is doing so much more than its neighbors to tackle aflatoxins in the food supply chain. Kenya already has a factory to develop aflasafe. Aflasafe is a fungus, in the same family as the fungi responsible for aflatoxin, which is applied to plants and soil and prevents harmful fungi from taking hold of the grain. In addition, consumer awareness of the dangers of aflatoxins is higher in Kenya. Likewise, controls of aflatoxins in the food supply system are more regular in Kenya.

Timothy Njagi Njeru does not work, consult, own stock or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has not disclosed any relevant affiliation beyond his academic appointment.

By Timothy Njagi Njeru, Research Fellow, Tegemeo Institute, Egerton University