Peanuts (known locally as “groundnuts”) are a strategic crop for improving small farmer incomes and food security in sub-Saharan Africa. However, a barrier to trade is contamination with aflatoxin, a carcinogenic mold that contributes to chronic health problems and food insecurity. As a result many markets have been closed to Zambian peanuts and the 500,000 households that grow them. With new equipment, quality seed and market linkages from a USAID grant to Central African Seed Services (CASS), the Jungle Beat factory in Lusaka has become an efficient production unit able to screen for aflatoxin and buy peanuts from thousands of small farmers. Its first export order for 24 metric tons went to Madagascar to make a ready-to-use therapeutic food that fights malnourishment. With efficient processing, African peanuts can supply humanitarian feeding needs while benefitting small farmers.

Prior to a grant from USAID’s Southern Africa Trade Hub, Zambia’s Jungle Beat factory was limited in its methods to clean and screen peanuts for the carcinogenic mold aflatoxin, hampering production and making export impossible.

USAID Southern Africa Trade Hub

BEFORE

With the installation of a new, efficient processing line made possible by the grant, Jungle Beat can now clean, sort and grade four tons of peanuts per hour.

USAID Southern Africa Trade Hub

AFTER