Knowledge, Perception and Mitigation Practices Related to Mycotoxins among Poultry Value Chain Actors in Cameroon: Implications for Feed Safety and Poultry Production

Mycotoxin contamination of poultry feed represents a major challenge to animal productivity, food safety, and public health in tropical regions. In sub-Saharan Africa, climatic conditions characterized by high temperature and humidity favour fungal proliferation and mycotoxin production. However, limited information is available on the awareness, knowledge, perception and mitigation practices related to mycotoxins among poultry value chain actors in Cameroon. This study therefore assessed knowledge, attitudes, and practices using a Knowledge-Attitude-Practice (KAP) analytical framework. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among poultry farmers, veterinarians, zootechnicians, feed millers, poultry marketers and other stakeholders (input suppliers and administrative personnel), from three major poultry-producing regions (Centre, Littoral and West), using a structured questionnaire. Data collected included socio-demographic characteristics, awareness, knowledge, risk perception and preventive practices of mycotoxins. Knowledge was assessed using a 12-item score, and data were analysed using descriptive statistics, non-parametric tests, and multivariate regression models. Farmers constituted the majority (71.9%). Overall awareness of mycotoxins was 73.4 %. Knowledge scores differed significantly across actors (p < 0.001), veterinarians recording the highest mean score (7.6 ± 1.2), followed by zootechnicians (6.2 ± 1.8) and feed millers (5.1 ± 2.0), whereas farmers (4.6 ± 2.4) and poultry marketers (3.4 ± 1.7) exhibited lower scores (H = 38.7; p < 0.001). Multivariate linear regression identified education level and professional category as independent predictors of knowledge score (R² = 0.284; p < 0.001). Logistic regression analysis demonstrated that knowledge score was the only independent predictor of mitigation practices (OR = 3.15; 95% CI: 2.23-4.45; p < 0.001). Most respondents perceived mycotoxins as dangerous to poultry (92.7%) and as a public health concern (84.9%), but differed across stakeholder groups, technical actors demonstrating higher levels of awareness and concern. Preventive practices were dominated by low-cost traditional measures such as grain sorting and drying (81.0%) and improved storage (68.5%), particularly among poultry farmers, while veterinarians and feed millers more frequently reported structured preventive measures such as feed quality control as the use of local clays (37.2 %), charcoal (33.0 %), commercial binders (28.4%) and laboratory testing (10.4%) that remained limited. These findings reveal a clear disconnect between high awareness and limited technical knowledge, diagnostic access and mitigation capacity within the poultry value chain, which directly affects poultry productivity and feed safety in tropical production systems. Therefore, they underscore the need for targeted capacity building, improved diagnostic access and context-appropriate mitigation strategies to strengthen feed safety and poultry productivity in sub-Saharan Africa.