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Information, technology, and market rewards: Incentivizing aflatoxin control in Ghana

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  • Magnan, Nicholas
  • Hoffmann, Vivian
  • Garrido, Gissele
  • Kanyam, Faniel Akwasi
  • Opoku, Nelson

Abstract

Food safety hazards threaten the health and market access of smallholder farming households. Smallholders face a number of barriers to improving food safety and quality, including low awareness, high input costs, and the failure of premium prices to pass through to producers. In this paper we examine how lifting these barriers affects Ghanaian groundnut farmers’ adoption of low-tech, low-cost post-harvest practices that reduce aflatoxin contamination. We conduct a randomized controlled trial in northern Ghana over the course of two seasons to test three interventions: (1) training on aflatoxin and its prevention, (2) distribution of free drying sheets, and (3) a price premium for groundnuts that comply with local aflatoxin regulations. In the first year we test for effects on post-harvest practices and aflatoxin levels, and in the second we test for effects on aflatoxin levels only. We find that training farmers substantially improves post-harvest practices. Drying sheet distribution and to a lesser extent the premium price lead to further improvements. We find substantial corresponding decreases in aflatoxin levels from drying sheet provision in the study region where background aflatoxin levels were highest. Beyond regional differences, benefits are higher for households with higher aflatoxin at baseline, more members, and young children. The estimated impacts of the price premium intervention are of similar magnitude, but not statistically significant.

Suggested Citation

  • Magnan, Nicholas & Hoffmann, Vivian & Garrido, Gissele & Kanyam, Faniel Akwasi & Opoku, Nelson, 2019. "Information, technology, and market rewards: Incentivizing aflatoxin control in Ghana," IFPRI discussion papers 1878, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    • Handle: RePEc:fpr:ifprid:1878
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    1. Pierre Marion & Etienne Lwamba & Andrea Floridi & Suvarna Pande & Megha Bhattacharyya & Sarah Young & Paul Fenton Villar & Shannon Shisler, 2024. "The effects of agricultural output market access interventions on agricultural, socio‐economic, food security, and nutrition outcomes in low‐ and middle‐income countries: A systematic review," Campbell Systematic Reviews, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 20(2), June.
    2. Leavens, Laura & Bauchet, Jonathan & Ricker-Gilbert, Jacob, 2021. "After the project is over: Measuring longer-term impacts of a food safety intervention in Senegal," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 141(C).
    3. Mark Treurniet, 2021. "The Potency of Quality Incentives: Evidence from the Indonesian Dairy Value Chain," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 103(5), pages 1661-1678, October.
    4. Betelhem M. Negede & Hugo De Groote & Bart Minten & Maarten Voors, 2024. "Does access to improved grain storage technology increase farmers' welfare? Experimental evidence from maize farming in Ethiopia," Journal of Agricultural Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 75(1), pages 137-152, February.
    5. Jacques, Phendy & Azima, Stevens & Doyon, Maurice, 2025. "How to incentivize peanut producers to adopt post-harvest aflatoxin control measures: A field experiment in Haiti," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 130(C).
    6. Abate, Gashaw T. & Bernard, Tanguy & Deutschmann, Joshua & Fall, Fatou, 2025. "Do others’ health count for peanuts? Health, market returns, and pro-sociality," IFPRI discussion papers 2346, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    7. Hoffmann, Vivian & Mutiga, Samuel K. & Harvey, Jagger W. & Nelson, Rebecca J. & Milgroom, Michael G., 2021. "Observability of food safety losses in maize: Evidence from Kenya," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 98(C).
    8. Channa, Hira & Ricker-Gilbert, Jacob & Feleke, Shiferaw & Abdoulaye, Tahirou, 2022. "Overcoming smallholder farmers’ post-harvest constraints through harvest loans and storage technology: Insights from a randomized controlled trial in Tanzania," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 157(C).
    9. Bellemare, Marc F., 2022. "Agricultural value chains: towards a marriage of development economics and industrial organisation?," Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society, vol. 66(02), January.
    10. Wossen, Tesfamicheal & Spielman, David J. & Alene, Arega D. & Abdoulaye, Tahirou, 2024. "Estimating seed demand in the presence of market frictions: Evidence from an auction experiment in Nigeria," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 167(C).
    11. Hope Michelson, 2025. "Navigating the Measurement Frontier: New Insights Into Small Farm Realities," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 56(3), pages 526-542, May.
    12. Paul Fenton Villar & Tomasz Kozakiewicz & Vinitha Bachina & Sarah Young & Shannon Shisler, 2023. "PROTOCOL: The effects of agricultural output market access interventions on agricultural, socio‐economic and food and nutrition security outcomes in low‐ and middle‐income countries: A systematic review," Campbell Systematic Reviews, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 19(3), September.
    13. Do Nascimento Miguel, Jérémy, 2024. "Returns to quality in rural agricultural markets: Evidence from wheat markets in Ethiopia," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 171(C).
    14. Abate, Gashaw T. & Bernard, Tanguy & de Janvry, Alain & Sadoulet, Elisabeth & Trachtman, Carly, 2021. "Introducing quality certification in staple food markets in Sub-Saharan Africa: Four conditions for successful implementation," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 105(C).
    15. Hoffmann, Vivian & Jones, Kelly, 2021. "Improving food safety on the farm: Experimental evidence from Kenya on incentives and subsidies for technology adoption," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 143(C).
    16. Hoffmann, Vivian & Jones, Kelly M., 2018. "Improving food safety on the farm: Experimental evidence from Kenya on agricultural incentives and subsidies as public health investments," IFPRI discussion papers 1746, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    17. Jonathan Bauchet & Stacy Prieto & Jacob Ricker‐Gilbert, 2021. "Improved Drying and Storage Practices that Reduce Aflatoxins in Stored Maize: Experimental Evidence from Smallholders in Senegal," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 103(1), pages 296-316, January.
    18. Shukla, Pallavi & Pullabhotla, Hemant K. & Baylis, Kathy, 2023. "The economics of reducing food losses: Experimental evidence from improved storage technology in India," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 117(C).

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