PAN AFRICAN AGRICULTURE BALANCED AND AUTHORITATIVE ISSUE 002 NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2020 Africa’s gift: cashew nut ‘white gold’ IFC launches food safety handbook Q&A: KALRO D-G on the tea sector Brilliant minds impacting Africa Why WFP won the Nobel prize From Farm to Mouth www.rootooba.com NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2020 ISSUE 002 1 ROOTOOBA Highlight topic 2 ISSUE 002 NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2020 COVER STORY 16 AFRICA’S ‘WHITE GOLD’ African countries are the leading producers of raw cashew nuts in the world. Representatives of international organisations and institutions, cashew industry stakeholders and experts met at the 14th African Cashew Alliance conference in Accra, Ghana held virtually for the first time in its history. Deliberations centred on the devastating economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic and the upheavals it has caused on cashew production and marketing in Africa. REGULARS 06 FOOD SAFETY GUIDE 24 HOPES ON Bt COTTON 43 AGRONOMY PLATFORM IFC’s 2020 Food Safety Handbook is Kenya and Nigeria join Burkina Faso, Millions of smallholder farmers a guide that lends support to food Ethiopia, Malawi, South Africa, Sudan in Africa stand to increase farm processors and the hospitality industry and eSwatini in embracing growing productivity, incomes and gain from by assisting them in establishing and of Bt cotton after pests, diseases and improved livelihoods following the maintaining food safety standards in collapsed ginneries led to a drastic launch of the Excellence in Agronomy their operations. decline in production. 2030 (EiA 2030) Platform. 50 WFP’S NOBEL AWARD 08 LOCAL FOODS BEST 28 SHEA MARKET AT RISK WFP, which provides lifesaving food Primary custodians must be the first Women have dominated shea (rich assistance to millions across the world educators of their children about the butter from kernels used in cooking, in extremely dangerous and hard-to- nutritive value of traditional food crops cosmetics and medicines) production access conditions, beats an impressive and locally prepared foods, without and sales for centuries in West Africa list of nominees to win the 2020 Nobel introducing prejudice, by including such but the market value chain now faces Peace Prize. foods in home menus. uncertainties 58 BRILLIANCE FROM AFAR 10 TEA SECTOR UPBEAT 34 WEANING OFF COCOA Ethiopia-born, US-based scientist Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Ghana is the world's second- Wondu Wolde-Mariam founded Research Organization (KALRO) biggest cocoa producer after Cote Helica Biosystems, Inc, in his garage Director-General Eliud Kiplimo Kireger d'Ivoire but the country expects an in 1998 and built it into a world-class speaks on the status and future output of 900,000 tonnes in 2020/2021 institution providing testing kits for prospects of the tea sector set for record season, earning $2 billion, but it wants food safety and life science research. production levels. to stop overreliance on cocoa. NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2020 ISSUE 002 3 ROOTOOBA Highlight topic Editor’s Note Focus on Africa’s industrial crops In this edition of Rootooba, we focus on Programme (WFP)–awarded the 2020 Nobel Africa’s industrial crops, with an in-depth Peace Prize. analysis of cashew, the continent’s “white We recognise that the Nobel Prize, the ninth for Adverse effects gold”, and plans for the sector’s revival in a UN agency since the 1950s, is testament to the Kenya. We also feature a Q&A interview on essential, life-saving work that takes place, every of the COVID-19 tea and special reports on coffee, cocoa and day, across the UN system. pandemic pose cotton. World Food Day 2020 on October 16 coincided a threat to food The International Finance Corporation with FAO’s 75th anniversary and during its security and (IFC) has launched the 2020 IFC Food Safety existence progress has been made in the fight Handbook, an exceptional resource that against poverty, hunger, and malnutrition. agricultural compiles food safety knowledge for large and Agricultural productivity and food systems have livelihoods small food enterprises worldwide, which is also improved. reviewed in this issue. However, currently the widespread effects We also profile eminent Ethiopia-born, US- of the COVID-19 pandemic pose a threat to based scientist Wondu Wolde-Mariam, who food security and agricultural livelihoods, founded Helica Biosystems in his garage confronting the most vulnerable. and built it into an institution of excellence Two billion people do not have regular access providing testing kits for veterinary to enough safe, nutritious food amid persistent diagnostics, food safety and life science inequalities and inefficiencies plaguing our research. food systems, economies and social support Rootooba reflects on the historic month of structures. October 2020 as the United Nations celebrates UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres its 75th anniversary in the middle of the has convened the Food Systems Summit worst public health crisis in a generation, in September 2021 at the next UN General and a looming hunger crisis in Africa and the Assembly. Middle East. The summit will spur actions to rethink food The month witnessed a ringing endorsement systems to play a more positive role in ending of the UN’s efforts to put food security on hunger, reduce diet-related disease, and help in top of the global peace and security agenda, the fight against climate change. with one of its agencies–the World Food Alberto Leny 4 ISSUE 002 NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2020 Publisher Nkima Cianki Managing Editor Alberto Leny Contributors Verenardo Meeme Wandera Ojianji Dr. David Githang'a Murimi Gitari Marion Wagaki Quainoo Reuben Kundan Pandey Design & Layout Joe-Harris Marere Digital Producer Simon Mukabana Programmes Wilfred Wachira Published by ROOTOOBA COMPANY LTD Wilson Business Park, P.O. BOX 856-00600 Nairobi, KENYA. Tel +254 717 782 782, +254 734 782 782 Email: [email protected] © 2020. The entire contents of this publication are protected by copyright. All rights reserved. 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ONLINE FARM ASSURER WORKSHOP FRUIT & VEGETABLES 15-18 December 2020 NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2020 ISSUE 002 5 ROOTOOBA Highlight topic The ‘must-have’ food safety guide for food practitioners By Verenardo Meeme and Alberto Leny Food business operators worldwide edition of the handbook, published no room for complacency or slack standards. are already reaping the benefits of a in 2020, updates the guidelines and Unsafe food poses health risks, and food- unique handbook published by the regulations analyzed in the 2016 borne illnesses can cause considerable International Finance Corporation edition, incorporating new outcomes in economic damage. The Safe Food Imperative, (IFC), a member of the World Bank the food safety landscape. a 2018 World Bank report, estimates that Group. The core team that produced the food safety issues cost developing countries IFC’s Food Safety Handbook: A handbook was led by IFC Food a staggering $110 billion in lost productivity Practical Guide for Building a Robust Safety Specialist Natia Mgeladze and and medical treatment in 2016 alone. Food Safety Management System included Michael Gerard Kelly of the ‘‘A single serious food safety lapse can badly lends vital support to food processors Ireland-based Kelmac Group, Rob tarnish the brands of restaurants, hotels, and the hospitality industry by Kooijmans from Food Safety Experts and food producers and processors, which assisting them in establishing and of the Netherlands, and Mark Nielsen can require years of investment and trust- maintaining food safety standards in a consultant for Small and Medium building to repair,’’ Lozansky says. their operations. Enterprises and Value Chain Solutions The handbook authors recommend it for at IFC. The guide is an exceptional resource those in the food production and processing that compiles food safety knowledge IFC Senior Manager, Manufacturing, value chain who want to develop a new food for large and small food enterprises Agribusiness, and Services Advisory, safety system or strengthen existing ones. worldwide. Tania Lozansky, observes in the They explain the handbook resources will handbook’s foreword that demand for Described by key players in the sector help users implement rigorous food safety safe food is growing, pressuring the as the “industry Bible,” the fourth systems, advance better access to markets, world’s food supply chains, and leaving 6 ISSUE 002 NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2020 Codex Alimentarius—that aim to protect consumers’ health, ensure fair practices in the food trade, and promote harmonization of standards. Chapter 3 introduces useful food safety planning and implementation tools and techniques. Among these is an in-depth guide to developing a dairy