An Innovative Use Case Approach with a strong stakeholder engagement

By Sjaak Wolfert, Scientific Project Coordinator, Wageningen University & Research, The Netherlands

Food safety remains a critical challenge in Africa, particularly in the informal sector, where a vast majority of people rely on locally produced and processed foods. The FS4Africa project is tackling these challenges through innovative use cases and robust stakeholder engagement, paving the way for safer and more resilient food systems.

Transforming Food Safety Through Innovation

The FS4Africa project focuses on improving food safety in Africa’s informal sector by developing and implementing innovative use cases. It employs a lean, multi-actor approach that involves co-design, implementation, testing, and evaluation to develop Minimum Viable Products (MVPs) as intermediate steps towards mature solutions. Stakeholder engagement is a core component, ensuring that local communities, government agencies, and private sector partners are actively involved.

FS4Africa’s Four Key Use Cases

UC1 – Aflatoxin Management: Enhancing Food Safety

Aflatoxin contamination poses severe health risks and economic barriers.

1. • Focus: Mitigating aflatoxin contamination in Nigeria, Ghana, and Kenya.
   • Strategies: Utilizing microbiome-based approaches, resistant crop varieties, and establishing food safety hubs.
   • Goals: Improve aflatoxin management, enhance stakeholder collaboration, and reduce health risks.

UC2 – Pesticide and Antibiotic Residue Management: Safer Agricultural Practices

Excessive pesticide use and antibiotic residues in food production can lead to health hazards and trade restrictions.

1. • Focus: Reducing pesticide residues and antibiotic resistance in agriculture in Benin, Ghana, Nigeria.
   • Strategies: Promoting better pesticide management, developing safe alternatives, and enhancing logistics.
   • Goals: Improve food safety, reduce trade restrictions, and safeguard health and ecosystems.

UC3 – Transparency and Traceability in Food Production: Strengthening Trust in Food Supply Chains

Ensuring transparency in food production is vital for consumer confidence and trade facilitation.

1. • Focus: Enhancing food safety and transparency for dried fish and leafy greens in Nigeria, Cameroon
   • Strategies: Developing an online platform with QR codes for safety indicators, promoting safe aquaponics.
   • Goals: Enable informed consumer decisions, improve safety standards, and support intra-Africa trade.

UC4 – Microbiological Quality Monitoring: Ensuring Safe Fresh Produce

In South Africa’s informal tomato and leafy green markets, microbiological contaminants pose a significant threat.

1. • Focus: Monitoring microbiological quality and pathogen presence in South Africa’s informal tomato and leafy green sectors.
   • Strategies: Data collection, training, and co-created solutions for safe farming practices.
   • Goals: Improve food safety, align with international water standards, and support smallholder farmers.

The use cases follow a structured, cyclical process of co-design, implementation, testing, and evaluation.

This iterative approach allows each use case to refine its solutions through real-world application and user feedback. It also emphasizes stakeholder engagement, ensuring that the solutions developed are practical, cost-effective, and user-friendly.

Driving Collaboration and Sustainable Impact

The initial findings highlight the importance of collaboration and innovation in addressing food safety challenges. The use cases have identified several synergies, such as shared methodologies for contaminant management, joint training programs, and data sharing. These collaborations promote a unified approach to food safety, broadening the impact of each use case across the African agricultural landscape.

The Road Ahead: Shaping a Resilient Food System

The FS4Africa project represents a significant step towards improving food safety in Africa’s informal sector. By addressing key contaminants and fostering collaboration among stakeholders, the project aims to create sustainable, resilient food safety systems. The initial findings provide a strong foundation for future developments, with subsequent updates planned to incorporate new data and insights.

Stay tuned for more updates on the FS4Africa project as we continue to work towards a safer, healthier food system for Africa.