Enhancing the Kunun Zaki Value Chain: UP-RISE workshop targets cereal beverage safety in Nigeria

19 February 2026

In mid-November 2025, the UP-RISE project reached another vital milestone by hosting a two-day multi-actor co-creation workshop in Minna, Niger State, Nigeria. This event brought together 41 participants, including 30 operators and 11 experts and community leaders, to tackle safety and quality concerns within the kunun zaki (a traditional fermented cereal-based beverage) value chain.

Specific objectives

• Develop a participatory approach that allows operators to share knowledge and discuss local quality issues;
• Build a common understanding of food safety and quality definitions, with a particular focus on mycotoxins;
• Identify critical points and risky behaviours in the production process while assessing economic and social trade-offs;
• Jointly develop innovations and best practices that are affordable and feasible for Nigerian operators; and
• Create an engagement plan for stakeholders to test and implement co-designed safety solutions.

Insights from the field

The workshop followed a “farm-to-fork” methodology, engaging farmers, transporters, grain sellers, millers and processors. A significant gender dynamic was observed: while farmers and transporters were more evenly mixed, 99% of kunun zaki processors were women, reflecting their dominant role in this traditional industry.

Key findings from the discussions included:

• Infrastructure Barriers: Operators highlighted severe constraints, including poor access to electricity (“light”), high energy prices, inconsistent water quality and inadequate storage facilities.
• The Mycotoxin Knowledge Gap: While all participants recognised mould as a sign of spoilage, no participant initially identified the hazard as mycotoxins until research facilitators provided technical explanations of their harmful effects on human and animal health.
• Invisible vs. Visible Hazards: Participants easily identified visible contaminants like stones, dust, or weevils but struggled to distinguish between different types of invisible hazards (biological vs. chemical), highlighting a significant capacity gap.

Co-created solutions and commitments

Through small-group discussions and exchanges of ideas, participants moved from identifying problems to committing to specific, high-priority solutions:

• Farmers and Grain Traders pledged to avoid drying grains on the bare ground, choosing instead to use plastic tarpaulins and elevated dry slabs to prevent physical contamination.
• Grain Sellers committed to using PICS (purdue improved crop storage) bags for grain storage and placing bags on pallets to resist moisture.
• Millers agreed to rewash milling machines after applying lubricants (grease or oil) and to use only food-grade alternatives like shea butter or palm oil where possible.
• Processors vowed to boil water or use domestic UV treatment systems to eliminate pathogenic microbial contamination during the sieving process.

Next steps

Participants expressed great enthusiasm for the workshop’s participatory nature and the visualization of the production process. These results will serve as the foundation for a localised Good Practice Guide for the kunun zaki value chain. Most attendees confirmed they are eager to return for a follow-up implementation workshop in 2026 to share their experiences with the solutions they have decided to test.