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Nigerian Export Promotion Council
Development of Evaluation Mechanisms For STDF 172
An Internship Project
Summer 2014
Lawi Laktabai
The Elumelu Foundation
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 3 1 INTRODUCTION 4 1.1 Context 4 1.2 Role of intern in evaluation of the implementation of STDF Project 172 2 METHODOLOGY 5 3 OVERVIEW OF EVALUATION CRITERIA 6 3.1Relevance 6 3.2 Effectiveness 3.3 Efficiency 6 3.4 Impact 6 3.5 Sustainability 7 4 PROCESSING CENTER VISITS AND FINDINGS 7 4.1 Field visits 7 4.1.1 Anyigba processing center 7 4.1.1.1 Discussion of findings 8 4.1.2 Saki processing center 9 4.1.2.1 Discussion of findings 10 5 CURRENT MARKET STATISTICS AND OBSERVATIONS 10 6 RECOMMENDATIONS 12 6.1 Model processing centers (Saki & Anyigba) 12 6.2 Warehouse storage 12 6.3 Laboratory & testing infrastructure 13 6.4 Research & development 13 6.5 Organic certification 14 6.6 Building a culture of high-quality-expectations 14 6.7 Incentives for Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) 15 7 POSSIBLE AREAS OF PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN NEPC & TEF 16 8 LESSONS LEARNED 16 APPENDIX: Appendix 1: Questionnaires
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Executive Summary
This report presents the evaluation of “STDF Project 172” project, which was formally concluded in May, 2014. The project was funded by World Trade Organization in partnership with NEPC and was aimed at expanding Nigeria’s export of sesame seeds and shea-nut/butter through improved SPS capacity building for private and public sectors.
One of the project’s deliverables was the development of an effective aflatoxin control system for sesame seeds and an effective Free Fatty Acid (FFA) control system for shea-butter; the quality control systems established would provide quality control for all stored cereals and pulses for local consumption and export. The project also resulted in the construction of eight processing centers and installation of some processing equipment such as; beds, driers, crackers/parboiling tanks, and thrashers in eight beneficiary states. The deliverables formed the basis for the evaluation of the STDF project. The evaluation methodology used focused on; review of project documents, face to face interviews with some stakeholders, online research, and briefing from NEPC officer involved in the project. On-site visits were integral part of the evaluation although time constraints limited visits to only two centers – the assumption was that the two centers represent the other six.
The centers had not been fully utilized at the time of my visits. The investors pointed out that they would begin operations soon. There were no financial risks noted at both centers and the operational risks noted are negligible and could be addressed easily. Sesame seed farmers face challenges in sourcing quality seeds and are yet to register with the GES scheme (a national seed-sourcing platform). The STDF project was effective in developing skills and reducing the knowledge gap among farmers, extension agents, and standards enforcers, particularly as related to aflatoxin critical control points. Continuous training needs to be done to sustain its effectiveness.
Current statistics on sesame seed exports to Europe show that more EU countries are importing from Nigeria. In the first two quarters of 2014, six countries that did not import from Nigeria from 2011 to 2013 recorded imports. There is an upward trajectory in the dollar value of total sesame seed exports year-to-year. Although the results couldn’t be directly linked to the implementation of STDF Project 172, other efforts by NEPC to boost sesame seeds exports could have played a role.
Most of the recommendations given are geared towards sustainability of the implementation of the STDF project. Seeking organic certification, building a culture of good-quality-expectation, establishing warehouse and laboratory infrastructure, and giving incentives for good agriculture practices (GAP) would provide a solid ground for sustainability.
To encourage public-private partnership in the implementation of this project, possible areas of collaboration between NEPC and the Tony Elumelu Foundation were suggested in this report. TEF could partner in; building of warehouse infrastructure for sesame seeds, provision of quality sesame seeds to farmers, and assistance in continuous training of all stakeholders both for sesame seeds and shea-nut/butter.
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1. Introduction
1.1. Context
The Nigerian Export Promotion Council’s (NEPC) key role is to boost Nigeria’s non-oil
exports and “make non-oil export a significant contributor to Nigeria’s GDP”1. In order to
achieve this, NEPC focuses on – among other things – the development of priority
export products/produce to meet required standards and competitiveness for export. In
the Agriculture sector, some of the priority export produce are; sesame seeds, shea-
nut/butter, cashew nuts, cocoa, cassava, walnuts, and a range of fruits just to mention a
few. This report focuses on sesame seeds and shea-nut/butter as priority export
products.
Nigeria is ranked second – in Africa – in the production & export of sesame seeds. The
bulk of sesame seeds are exported to such countries as; China, Japan, Turkey,
Republic of Syria, and South Korea. In shea-nut production, Nigeria is considered the
world largest producer; it produced 325,610 metric tons in 2010 according to (FAO).
In spite of high productivity and rankings, Nigeria has not been able to successfully (on
a larger scale) exported to major markets such as; the European Union (EU) and the
United States of America because of failure to meet sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS)
standards set by these countries. SPS standards are enforced by individual countries
for their local food consumption and overseen by the World Trade Organization (WTO)
to ensure safety of food for consumers and to prevent the spread of pests and diseases
among animals and plants across borders in the context of global trade.
In order to ensure compliance of the SPS standards and hence expand Nigeria’s export
of sesame seeds and shea-nut/butter, NEPC in partnership with WTO sponsored the
“STDF (Standards for Trade Development Facility) Project 172” to improve SPS
capacity building for private and public sector.
The STDF Project 172 was designed to achieve the following specific objectives;
Expand Nigeria’s export of sesame seeds and shea-nut/butter through improved
SPS capacity building for private and public sector.
Develop an effective aflatoxin control system for sesame seeds export and
effective Free Fatty Acid (FFA) and impurities control system for shea-butter
export.
The quality control system established would provide quality control for all stored
cereals and pulses for local consumption and export.
1 http://www.nepc.gov.ng/page_corporate_overview.html
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Construction and installation of some processing equipment like beds, driers,
crackers/parboiling tanks, thrashers etc. in the beneficiary states.
1.2. Role of intern in evaluation of the implementation of STDF Project 172
Description of tasks:
The intern shall work closely with key officers in developing the evaluation mechanisms
for STDF 172, attend meetings/seminars to facilitate understanding and effective
participation in the program, and visit selected shea-nut/butter and sesame seeds
processing centers, in particular, to;
Carry out evaluation of the implementation of the project
Undertake a performance measurement framework of the project with the aid of
M & E tools
Identify and evaluate risks that are associated with the implementation of the
centers; financial, operational etc.
Identify other needs in terms of development of proposal to attract donors in
replication of the project in other states of the Federation
Submit report of activities
2. Methodology
This report has been prepared on the basis of; online research; project documents; and
seminar tapes. Information was also gathered by; visiting sesame and shea-butter
processing centers, farms, NAFDAC offices, and cooperative societies.
Questionnaires (see appendix 1) were designed to capture activities of participants in
the value-chain; input suppliers (for the case of sesame seeds),
producers/farmers/sheanut collectors, brokers/buyers, processors, exporters, and
service providers (e.g. transporters, trainers etc.) However, because of time constraints
the questionnaires were not distributed beforehand, but rather used as guides during
face-to-face interviews. The questionnaires were developed based on STDF standard
evaluation criteria, which focus on measuring; relevance, effectiveness, efficiency,
impact, and sustainability of the project.
This report addresses the; relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, impact, and
sustainability of the project in the “discussion of findings” and “recommendations”
sections.
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3. Overview of the evaluation Criteria
3.1. Relevance
STDF Project 172 is relevant to the extent that the project provides the right answers to
the Nigerian sesame seeds and Shea-nut/butter export needs and to the extent that the
identified needs, which gave rise to the project (presence aflatoxins in sesame seeds
and Free Fatty Acids (FFA) & impurities in shea-nut/butter), are being addressed to
meet set standards for export.
3.2. Effectiveness
For the purposes of this report, STDF 172 project is considered effective to the extent
that the objectives below were achieved or are likely to be achieved;
Overall expansion of sesame seeds and shea-nut/butter export
Improved SPS capacity building;
o Continuous training/awareness/involvement of farmers and all
stakeholders in the value chain
o Established robust aflatoxin control system for sesame seeds and shea-
nut
o Established robust FFA and impurities control system for shea-butter
Installation and subsequent efficacy of the processing equipment in the
beneficiary states
3.3. Efficiency
This project is considered efficient if it is, in a cost-effective manner, addressing the
intended beneficiaries’ needs.
3.4. Impact
The assessment of the impact of the intervention would address the following questions;
o Is there evidence that the intervention narrowed the knowledge gap regarding
conditions that harbor the production of aflatoxin and created awareness of the
critical control points?
o Is there increased participation of individuals in SPS capacity building through;
cooperatives membership and training workshops attendance etc.?
o Is there a measurable impact on export market access?
o Is there evidence of poverty reduction?
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3.5. Sustainability
Sustainability is a very important evaluation criterion because it sums up the other
criteria and projects a long-term horizon. For the purpose of this report, the
implementation of STDF Project 172 is deemed sustainable if; the benefits of the project
are evident long after STDF funding ceased; the beneficiaries of the project have the
necessary capacity to overcome foreseen and unforeseen challenges to sustain positive
results; and if there are solid measures in place to ensure sustainability of the
interventions.
4. Processing Centers Visit and Findings
Although four sesame processing centers and four shea-butter processing centers were
built as part of the STDF Project 172, time and logistical constraints limited my visit to
two processing centers; one for sesame seeds and one for shea-butter. This report
assumes that the two centers represent the other six and that the findings and
recommendations would be applicable across the board.
During my visit, I had an opportunity to hold meetings with; investors, agricultural
extension officers, cooperative societies’ leaders, and farmers. The meetings helped to
bring to light how implementation of the project is run and what impact it has on the
beneficiaries. Below are the findings;
4.1. Field Visits
4.1.1. Anyigba Sesame Seeds Processing Center
- Farmers complained about the unavailability of hybrid seeds and if the seeds
were available, they were sold to farmers at unaffordable prices. The farmers
pointed out that they had not been able to plant sesame seeds and the planting
season was about to come to an end. In response, the investor advised farmers
to register with the Growth Enhancement Support Scheme (GES), an electronic
resource for sourcing affordable seeds, agro-chemicals, and fertilizer in order to
access quality seeds in a timely manner.
- The farmers admitted that they are quite aware of the new methods of farming
that would reduce contamination of sesame seeds and there was palpable
enthusiasm among the farmers regarding the benefits of the processing center.
Some farmers seemed concerned about the high cost of acquiring tarpaulin for
drying sesame seeds after harvest as a way of reducing contamination.
- The center is ready for use as evidenced in the trial-run that was performed
during my visit; however, the center is yet to be utilized fully. I was informed that
the next harvesting season will mark the beginning of full utilization of the
processing center.
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- Farmers were concerned about marketing of their produce in order to fetch
higher prices in the market. They said that they sell their produce at local markets
at poor prices.
- The assessment of financial risk analysis couldn’t be performed at this time
because the processing center is not fully operational. However, it is worth
mentioning that the comprehensive memorandum of understanding (MOU)
between the investor and the cooperative society adequately addresses financial
risks.
- The center is in no operational risk at this time. The location of the processing
center is well-secured and it is in sound operating condition.
- The farmers are organized in 29 cooperative societies consisting of about 10
members each making it easier for dissemination of information and coordination
of such activities as; training, seeds-sourcing, and transportation of sesame
seeds to the center.
- The extension officer in-attendance pointed out that extension officers are
participating in the implementation of the project and have demonstration plots to
train farmers on Good Agricultural Practices (GAP). He said that they could do
more if they had sufficient funding.
4.1.1.1. Discussion of Findings
The issue of unavailability of seeds could easily be addressed through timely delivery of
information to farmers regarding how to register and use the GES scheme. This scheme
is already available nationwide and is geared towards availing affordable hybrid seeds
to farmers. The cooperative societies and the investors could play a major role in not
only coordinating activities and disseminating information to farmers, but also providing
loans or quality seeds on credit with the purpose of recovering the loans after farmers
harvest their produce. In addition to providing loans for seeds, cooperative societies
and/or investors can purchase tarpaulins to be loaned out to farmers for use during
drying of sesame seeds to prevent contamination.
It is encouraging to note that farmers are aware of the new farming practices that
address the aflatoxins issue; their level of awareness is attributed to the training they
received during the STDF Project 172. The extension officer, who was present at the
meeting acknowledged the need for continuous training and admitted that his team
could do more if they had sufficient funding to conduct more training exercises in more
areas within their jurisdiction. There is need for continued partnership between NEPC
and extension officers, with the help of other experts in the industry (such as NAFDAC
personnel), to ensure that extension officers, cooperative societies’ members, and
farmers are continually trained on GAP.
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4.1.2. Saki Shea-butter Processing Center
- The center is in sound operating condition as seen in the demonstration that was
performed during my visit. Just like the sesame seeds processing center, the
shea-butter processing center is yet to be fully utilized. The investor pointed out
that full operation of the center will commence at the end of the month (August,
2014).
- The investor pointed out that although she will start producing shea-butter at the
center in a few weeks, there are several improvements she needs to make in
order to bring the center to optimum operating condition to manufacture top
quality products – free of contamination. She specifically mentioned that she
needs to install water sterilization equipment because the water used at the site
is visibly unclean. She also floated the idea of installing air conditioner to regulate
room temperature and tiles to ease cleaning and prevent contamination.
- It is noteworthy that the investor is significantly involved in continuously training
the women who process shea-butter. She trains them mostly on hygiene and
best processing practices to achieve desired product quality. The women
appeared excited about the benefits of the processing center; in fact, I met two
women who had just joined the cooperative society because they are interested
in processing shea-butter at the center.
- The investor is planning to install a mobile laboratory at the center to help in
testing the product at different levels of processing.
- The following operational risks were noted;
o The location of the center is prone to flooding – proper drainage needs to
be done.
o There is a logistical issue in terms of bringing nuts from the hinterland to
the center. This may lead to delay in delivery of shea-nuts exposing the
nuts to contamination due to poor handling.
o The area surrounding the center is bushy during rainy season. If not
checked, the bushes may become fire hazards when they dry up or may
become breeding ground for contaminants.
- The analysis of financial risk couldn’t be done at this time because full operation
at the processing center has not begun. It is worth noting however, that the
investor is fully committed to, and passionate about the project in addition to her
desire to make a difference in the lives of the women there. Additionally, the
MOU addresses financial risks adequately.
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4.1.2.1. Discussion of Findings
Commencement of production at the processing center is very important because it is
only then, that the women groups would realize the full benefits of the project and the
investor would achieve economies of scale so as to be able to run the center
sustainably. It was clear during the visit that the center has a pull-factor effect and
women are getting involved in large numbers. Although the center is in proper operating
condition, the operational risks mentioned above should be addressed in a timely
manner to avoid disruptions when production begins.
The investor is doing a commendable job in continuously training the women on best
processing practices and hygiene. Since critical control points for aflatoxins begin at the
shea-nut collection point, more work needs to be done in continuously training shea-nut
collectors on best practices. The collectors, who go deeper into the hinterland to collect
shea-nuts, are men; the collection points are far and not easily accessible because of
massive undergrowth. There is need for continuous training and logistical support to
build capacity of the collectors which will subsequently increase the volume of
uncontaminated nuts. The knowledge of extension officers and their connection to the
collectors on the ground could be utilized to continuously monitor the implementation of
best practices.
5. Current market statistics & observations
Below are statistics representing the value of sesame seeds exported from Nigeria; to
various countries in the EU, USA, Turkey, and to other countries (Asia etc.) There is an
overall upward trend in the value of exports; for example, this year alone, the value (in
$) of exports for the first two quarters amount to almost the entire value of exports in
2012.
It is very clear that more EU countries imported sesame seeds from Nigeria in 2014
than in 2011, 2012, and 2013. I was not able to link the STDF 172 Project directly to the
recent positive trend of sesame seeds export from Nigeria however; the increase in
overall exports and more particularly exports to EU is a testimony that the produce is
increasingly meeting international standards.
NEPC has been working separately (outside the STDF project) to promote exportation
of sesame seeds and has been creating awareness and supporting farmers by
disseminating information on better methods of farming and supplying quality seeds.
See the export statistics on the next page:
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NIGERIA SESAME SEEDS EXPORT: 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 (Q1 & Q2) in US$
COUNTRY 2011 2012 2013 2014 (Q1 & Q2)
Belgium 32,280
Croatia 35,550
Cyprus 50,400
France 53,994
Germany 2,768,879
4,974,691
11,790,414
8,395,111
Greece 8,170,525
Italy 133,650
701,793
1,668,073
Netherlands 2,436,375
6,199,420
19,501,094
13,557,097
Poland 2,605,471
Spain 26,513
43,174
174,060
379,723
TOTAL European Union
5,365,417
11,919,078
31,465,568
34,948,224
Others 124,802,761
163,143,609
126,937,460
135,446,199
USA 1,102,932
1,488,827
3,003,807
1,246,019
Turkey 68,354,890
77,854,486
109,362,165
77,638,558
Total Export 199,626,000
254,406,000
270,769,000
249,279,000
Source: Cobalt International Services Ltd. - compiled by NEPC Trade & Information Department
The above statistics were provided by the NEPC Trade and Information department.
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6. Recommendations
6.1. Model processing centers (Saki & Anyigba)
There is need to build success stories at the two model centers by impressing upon the
investors to start full utilization of these centers soon. Once the two centers are
operational and providing full economic benefits to the communities and the investors,
the local government and/or individual entrepreneurs would be willing to invest in
replicating the success stories elsewhere in the respective states. Therefore, it is
important for NEPC to continuously and closely work with the investors until the
processing centers are producing meaningful results.
6.2. Warehouse storage
Poor sesame seeds handling methods, especially after harvesting, contributes to a
larger extent to aflatoxins (B1, B2, G1, G2) contamination. Aflatoxins thrive well in an
environment where moisture content is high (about 7%) and temperature is elevated.
Proper storage of sesame seeds is very important in controlling the growth of fungi
hence the need for proper drying and storage facilities as soon as harvesting is done. It
is important to note that prior to storage, sesame seeds are exposed to high moisture
due to rains that occur harvesting time.
I recommend that a public-private partnership be utilized in sesame seed handling
especially starting at the point of harvest and extending to the point of storage. NEPC
can play a role of incentivizing entrepreneurs, who are driven by profit-making motive, to
establish their own temperature-controlled warehouse infrastructure. Alternatively,
NEPC can build its own warehouse infrastructure and recover the cost of building
warehouses by issuing licenses to vetted private investors, who would run the
warehouses in a sustainable manner. Apart from providing a solution to controlling
aflatoxin and other contaminants right from the base of the supply chain, the private
involvement would ensure long-term sustainability as a result of efficiency and hence
relieve NEPC to focus on other projects while maintaining an oversight role.
NEPC could also forge a public-private partnership with private investors, who would
invest in constructing large warehouses in strategic sesame seeds producing areas and
provide drying and cleaning services to farmers. These warehouses should be
registered to facilitate traceability and probably linked to the local or national
commodities exchange systems to enable farmers to have access to wider markets,
where they can fetch higher prices for their produce. Under this arrangement, farmers
could easily access finances by using Electronic Warehouse Receipts (e-WR) as
collateral.
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6.3. Laboratory and testing infrastructure
It is important to have laboratory services or portable contaminants and temperature
testing kits available to farmers at the point of harvest and storage to help in the
implementation of corrective measures at critical points. This will increase the analytical
capacity of all players in the value chain. Additionally, there needs to be inter-agency
collaboration in collecting data on lab results, aggregating these results, and feeding
them into a central database to help monitor progress and trigger response activities
where necessary.
6.4. Research & Development
Shea tree takes about 10 to 15 years to produce the first fruits and 20 to 30 years to
achieve full nut production potential. Because of the length of time it takes to realize the
full benefit of a given shea tree, it is imperative to preserve the already existing trees
and make concerted efforts to research the possibility of introducing new species that
mature sooner without altering the quality of the nuts produced.
In 1976, Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana (CRIG) established a research substation
whose aim was to research ways of improving shea tree yield for export and local
consumption. The research came up with the following discoveries2;
- Optimum yield of shea tree per hectare is achieved when shea trees are
planted at a spacing of 10 X 10 meters. This represents 100 trees per
hectare.
- Transplantation of shea butter tree seedlings from polythene bag sleeves
increases growth rate and reduces the time between initial growth and
transplantation.
- The use of bio-zyme, a bio-stimulant that enhances plant growth, stimulates
early maturation of shea butter.
- Surrogate grafting method results in the development of shea butter varieties
that are high yielding and that mature early.
- Natural regeneration of shea butter trees from old shea tree stumps reduces
fruition time to 7 years as opposed to between 12 and 15 years. It was noted
that bush fires and browsing animals hinder natural regeneration.
Ghana reckons that since the establishment the CRIG substation, shea-nut yield per
capita, per year has increased. The above information provides evidence that there is
need for Research & Development on Shea tree not only on its planting and processing,
but also on expanded commercial use of other shea tree parts.
2 http://www.solutions-site.org/node/110
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Additionally, it would be a nice idea to establish R & D partnership with the entire 19
countries that have shea trees across the savanna. This could be done by either
establishing a central research center to handle the research for the entire 19 countries
or establishing several research centers and coordinate research activities to allow for
knowledge sharing and technology transfer. It is evident that Ghana has made strides
towards extensive shea tree research – Nigeria can build on their knowledge base and
6.5. Organic Certification
As the market needs change, so should the products available to these dynamic
markets. Current market statistics show that there is growing demand for organic
products in the global market, more particularly in North America and Europe.
Research shows that US organic food market will grow by about 14% from 2013 to
20183. According to Transparency Market Research, organic personal care products
market will reach 13.2 billion by 2018 (a growth of about 9.6% from 2013). SPINS, Inc.,
the “provider of retail consumer insights, analytics reporting and consulting services for
the Natural, Organic and Specialty Products Industry” revealed that organic sales in US
achieved a milestone of $81.3 billion in 2012.
In the European Union (EU), organic food market growth rate hovers around 10% with;
Finland, Norway, and Netherlands recording over 10% growth year-to-year.
The above statistics clearly point out the opportunities available for the organic
produce/products in the coming years. The global market is developing towards
accepting more organic products because of the global awareness of the health benefits
of eating and using natural products. Shea butter for instance, grows naturally without
the use of fertilizer and pesticides; since Shea butter is used in Europe as an ingredient
that substitutes cocoa and is also used in beauty products.
Based on the foregoing information, it would be a good idea to seek organic certification
for shea-butter from Nigeria. Instead of building an organic certifying body from scratch,
it would be more economical to utilize globally recognized organic certifying bodies such
as ECOCERT to inspect and certify finished shea-butter products for export.
6.6. Building a culture of high-quality-expectation
There is need for all participants in the value chain to expect and deliver quality
product/produce. Contaminated food poses health risks to consumers; aflatoxins
causes cancer and stunted growth (in children).
3 http://www.foodnavigator-usa.com/Markets/US-organic-food-market-to-grow-14-from-2013-18
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It is important to run a continuous public awareness campaign to sensitize consumers
about the dangers of consuming aflatoxin contaminated food and the need for
consumers to purchase food from only those food brands that adhere to the existing
aflatoxin standards. The awareness would encourage food processing companies to
clean up the food chain by possibly backward integrating their businesses and/or
working with farmers or suppliers to influence farming and manufacturing processing
practices that would result in aflatoxin-free products. The public awareness campaign
should be fully supported by intensive and regular testing of food at every critical point
with the purpose of publicizing results and performing product recalls if necessary. In
addition, aflatoxin tests should be conducted regularly at local food grocery markets and
infected food disposed to encourage traders to adopt a habit of sourcing
uncontaminated food. As for the smallholder farmers, who practice subsistence farming
and sell their produce through the informal channels, there is need for capacity building
of agricultural extension officers, who would support these farmers on continuously
raising awareness about aflatoxin-free farming methods and guiding them incessantly.
6.7. Incentives for Good Agricultural Practices (GAP)
There needs to be meaningful incentives to encourage participants to engage in
aflatoxin control. Price differential gained from exporting quality products should trickle
down to the farmers, who play an important role in the initial handling of farm produce to
meet the required export standards. In the event that there is no price differential as a
result of good produce/product quality, I suggest that public agencies e.g. the ministry of
Agriculture or NEPC could provide monetary or non-monetary incentives to farmers,
through cooperatives, to trigger and encourage delivery of produce that is within the
required standards. It is obviously challenging to ask farmers to employ additional
measures, which may be costly, to rid their produce of contaminants yet they don’t see
any meaningful benefits to themselves. These farmers have probably known only one
way of processing shea butter or farming sesame seeds and changing their mindset
would require considerable motivation beyond just showing them new methods of
processing/farming.
The public sector needs to provide an enabling environment for local or multi-national
enterprises that participate in trading shea-nut or sesame seeds to engage farmers in
mutual relationships that extend beyond purchasing products from farmers and into
product development. These enterprises could play a role in supplying quality farm
inputs and materials as well as providing technical support and training to farmers as a
way of building capacity for achieving export-standard products.
On the other hand, measures need to be in place to reinforce GAP by discouraging
traders or processors from accepting the collection and delivery of poor quality produce
to local markets
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7. Possible areas of Partnership between NEPC and TEF
Below are three areas that NEPC and Tony Elumelu Foundation could partner to ensure
the continuity of implementing SPS interventions as a way of combating technical
barriers to trade of sesame seeds and shea-butter in Nigeria.
- Provision of access to warehouse storage infrastructure to sesame seeds
farmers in sesame seeds growing regions/sub-regions. This could be
packaged with mobile dryers (to dry the produce after harvest) and hand-held
laboratory gadgets (to test for contamination on sesame seeds at every
critical controls point before they get to the warehouse). The warehouse
storage link to the commodity exchange system would benefit farmers by
giving them access to better prices for their produce through open access to
global markets and access to loans through the use of electronic warehouse
receipt (e-WR).
- Continuous training program and technical advice support to cooperatives,
extension agents, and farmers on good agricultural practices (GAP) and on
good handling practices (GHP) purposely to eradicate contaminants.
Additionally, there is need to train the investors who manage the sesame
seeds and shea-butter processing centers on best management practices.
Baring in mind that these investors work directly with low-income farming
communities, training them on the platform of impact investing and corporate
social responsibility would be mutually beneficial to both.
- Provision of high quality seeds, in the case of sesame seeds, to farmers to
boost production and encourage farmers to participate more in the
implementation of the STDF 172 Project.
8. Lessons learnt
There is need for continuous capacity building, on improvement of aflatoxin
management practices, along the informal smallholder supply chain for local and
regional consumption as well as the formal large scale supply chain geared towards
global export.
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Bibliography
1. Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana (CRIG). 2007. Research and development of the Shea tree and its products. http://www.solutions-site.org/cat11_sol119.htm. (Accessed 7/15/2014)
2. http://www.cabi.org/Uploads/CABI/expertise/sps-working-paper-4.pdf (Accessed 7/15/2014)
3. http://www.ifpri.org/sites/default/files/publications/focus20_08.pdf (accessed 7/16/2014)
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Appendix 1
Questionnaires for shea-butter (they were also used for sesame seeds by
replacing key words)
Collectors & processors
1. What role do you play in the Shea butter value chain?
a) Collector_____________________
b) Processor____________________
2. In your opinion, did STDF 172 project (intervention) activities address the issues
of Free Fatty Acids (FFA) and impurities in Shea butter?
3. In your opinion, how was the project beneficial to;
a) The overall Nigerian Shea-butter industry?
b) Your cooperative/business in particular?
4. Did you participate in any workshops/training on the project subject matter during
and/or after the project completion?
If yes, which one(s)?
5. How beneficial were the workshops/courses to your understanding of improved
methods of collecting/processing Shea butter for export? Please explain.
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Were the workshops conducted according to your expectations or should they
have been conducted differently? How often should future workshops be done
and what is the most effective method - from your experience?
6. Are there topics/subjects/activities that the project should have provided more
information on?
7. Has the training influenced the way you collect/process Shea butter?
8. Did the project encourage private-public engagement and partnership in the
Nigeria Shea-butter sector
9. To what extent has the project influenced the economic, social, and cultural
aspects of the Shea-butter community? Please explain.
10. How has the membership of cooperative changed since the intervention? Has
there been increasing interest in the formation of new cooperative societies.
11. Please share your comments and suggestions on STDF 172 Project e.g. what
challenges do you face at the moment? What challenges do you anticipate in
future?
12. In your opinion, how beneficial is the shea-butter center what should be done to
ensure the sustainability of the processing centers?
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Buyers/licensed buying agents/investors
1. What role do you play in the Shea-butter production value chain?
a) Exporter_____________________
b) Buyer/licensed buying agent_______________
2. In your opinion, did STDF 172 project activities address the issues of aflatoxins/
Free Fatty Acids (FFA) and impurities in Shea butter?
3. In your opinion, how was the project beneficial to;
c) The overall Nigerian Shea butter industry?
d) Your business in particular?
4. Did you participate in any workshops/training regarding the project subject matter
during and/or after the project completion?
5. How beneficial were the workshops/courses to your understanding of improved
methods of collecting/processing Shea butter for export? Please explain.
Were the workshops conducted according to your expectations or could they
have been conducted differently? Please explain.
6. Are there topics/subjects/activities that the project should have provided more
information on?
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7. Has the training influenced the way you purchase/export/handle Shea butter?
8. Did the project encourage private-public engagement and partnership in the
Nigeria Shea-butter sector?
9. In your opinion, did the project encourage information sharing across all
participants in the value chain?
10. In what way/extent has the project influenced the economic, social, and cultural
aspects of the Shea-butter community? Please explain.
11. How has the intervention affected your revenue/returns, volume of inventory and
sales?
12. Please share your additional comments and suggestions on STDF 172 Project
intervention
13. In your opinion, how could sustainability be achieved?
Collaborating Institutions (NAFDAC/IITA/SON/NASPAN)
1. What role did you play in the STDF 172 Project?
2. In your opinion, did STDF 172 project activities address the issues of aflatoxins
in sesame seeds and Free Fatty Acids (FFA) and impurities in Shea butter
3. In your opinion, how was the project beneficial to;
a) The overall Nigerian Shea butter industry?
b) The intended beneficiaries in particular?
4. Did you facilitate workshops/training regarding food safety management system
along sesame seeds and Shea-butter value chain during and/or after the project
completion?
5. Are there topics/subjects/activities that the project should have covered or
continue to cover to provide continuous guidance more information on?
6. In your opinion, did the training influence the way the intended beneficiaries;
purchase/export/handle Shea butter?
7. In your opinion, did the project recommendations address diverse; production &
handling methods, supply chain structures, and focus target markets as may
have been exhibited in different regions?
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8. In what way or to what extent has the project influenced the economic, social,
and cultural aspects of the Shea-butter community? Please explain.
9. In your opinion, do you think extra measures/effort should have been put in place
to enhance the effectiveness and efficacy of the project activities to improve
results?
10. In your observation, were there time and/or budgetary challenges in the
implementation of certain project activities?
11. What areas/activities were very successful in addressing the existing gaps that
lead to higher levels of aflatoxins in sesame seeds and Free Fatty Acids (FFA)
and impurities in Shea-butter?
12. What areas/activities were least successful in addressing the existing gaps that
lead to higher levels of aflatoxins in sesame seeds and Free Fatty Acids (FFA)
and impurities in Shea-butter?
13. In your opinion, what is measurable impact did STDF 172 Project have on the
export of sesame seeds and Shea-butter?
14. What is your opinion on the long term sustainability of improvements made as a
result of the implementation of STDF 172 Project?
15. Please share your additional comments and suggestions on the STDF 172
Project