KEMRI-Wellcome-led study probes climate-driven aflatoxin risks to child health in Africa

KENYA – Researchers in Kenya, led by the KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme, have launched a major study to examine how climate change is increasing exposure to aflatoxins in staple foods and the long-term impact on child health across Africa.

The three-year project, known as TRACE (Tackling the Risks of Aflatoxins and Climate Effects on Child Health in Africa), is funded by the Wellcome Trust.

It brings together scientists, policymakers and development partners to reposition aflatoxins as both a food systems and public health priority.

“Aflatoxin contamination is a hidden everyday reality in many African households,” said Elijah Songok, highlighting the widespread exposure risk in diets heavily reliant on maize and groundnuts.

Aflatoxins are toxic compounds produced by fungi that grow on crops under certain environmental conditions. 

While high exposure is linked to liver cancer and acute poisoning, researchers warn that chronic, low-level exposure may be contributing to malnutrition and weakened immunity in children.

Climate pressures intensify contamination risks

Scientists say climate change is likely to worsen the problem. 

Rising temperatures, erratic rainfall and increased humidity create ideal conditions for fungal growth during crop drying and storage, especially in smallholder systems where grain is often stored for months.

In many cases, contaminated grain rejected by formal markets can still enter informal channels, including animal feed or low-cost food markets, increasing exposure among vulnerable populations.

“To address this evidence gap, we are leading the first large-scale study to directly link long-term climate data, food contamination patterns and child health outcomes across Africa,” said Ambrose Agweyu.

The TRACE project will combine climate science, epidemiology, immunology and economics to build a comprehensive understanding of the issue. 

Researchers will analyse two decades of climate data alongside archived health samples to assess how exposure to climate affects growth, gut health, and vaccine response in children.

The study will also test practical interventions, including improved storage methods and the use of Aflasafe biocontrol products, which reduce aflatoxin contamination in crops before harvest.

Field research will be conducted in coastal Kenya through the Kilifi Health and Demographic Surveillance System and in The Gambia via the Kiang West Longitudinal Population Study.

Partners include the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, the University of Oxford, the University of Nairobi and the University of Georgia, among others.

Researchers say the goal is to generate evidence that can inform policy, strengthen food safety systems and support climate adaptation strategies.

Linking agriculture, nutrition, and climate science, the study aims to help governments and stakeholders build safer, more resilient food systems, reduce preventable child illness, and improve long-term health outcomes across the continent.

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