The National Federation of The Gambia UNESCO Clubs and Center (NAFGUC), a voluntary youth organisation working to promote culture of peace and human security in the country and the sub-region at large, last Monday, organised a three-day training of trainers workshop on aflatoxin at Jenoi, in the Lower River Region.

The training also touched  on pest management practices, aflatoxin, film show, group work, interviews and radio panel at NAFGUC Radio Soma. Speaking at the opening, the President of NAFGUC, Mohamadou Faqinkeh, said the objective of the training was to equip the participants with basic knowledge, which can enable them to help the communities to reduce the contamination level of aflatoxin. He expressed hope that at the end of the training, participants will come up with tangible and concrete way forward. He disclosed that a study was conducted by an international consultancy, funded by EC on assessing the aflatoxin problems in groundnut in The Gambia. This he added, is where the awareness creation started when the consultancy report had informed concern Gambians about the issue.  

The report according to him, was dispatched to various institutions for action. For his part, Momodou Katim Touray, the acting governor of the Lower River Region said the training and strategies put in place by the alliance come at the right moment because the country's economy largely depends on agriculture. He said the outcome of the previous activities carried out by the alliance on aflatoxin contributed a lot and the organisation of the three-day training of trainers is important.

Deputy Governor Touray said said liver cancer has increased in The Gambia in recent years, assuming that among the many factors responsible for the problem, may be the continuous high consumption of contaminated peanut and other cereals. What is even disturbing about the problem Touray said, is that most of people in The Gambia consume contaminated groundnut, peanuts and other cereals without being aware of the risks involved. He commended the organisers for the initiative and implored on the trainees to keep up the momentum.