Tackling the Risks of Aflatoxins and Climate Effects on Child Health in Africa (TRACE)

Our proposal, TRACE, addresses a neglected challenge affecting millions of households in Africa at the intersection of climate change, food safety, and child health. Aflatoxins, toxins produced by fungi in staple crops such as maize and peanuts, pose a growing threat as climate change creates conditions that favour contamination. Exposure has been linked to impaired immunity and malnutrition in children, heightening vulnerability to infections. However, direct evidence remains limited, and aflatoxins are largely absent from climate and child health policy agendas, hindering implementation of mitigation measures. Within the first year of the award, we will connect two decades of climate data to aflatoxin exposure trends, generating the first large-scale empirical evidence of the climate-aflatoxin-child health link. We will then test an intervention package co-designed with communities in Kenya and The Gambia, measuring effects on aflatoxin exposure, acute febrile illness, and vaccine immune responses among children. We will model future health and economic risks under climate change scenarios to inform long-term solutions. Our transdisciplinary team integrates expertise in epidemiology, climate science, immunology, anthropology, food science, and policy engagement. Strong partnerships with communities, governments, and international agencies will ensure findings are rapidly and sustainably embedded into policy and local farming practices.