THE GHANA SOY FOOD FESTIVAL TACKLES FOOD SECURITY CHALLENGES IN GHANA

“If we want to improve food security in Ghana, the government cannot do it all, private sector, donor agencies and partners must come in so we can reach our food security needs and even export”, Dr. Solomon Gyan Ansah, Director of Crop Sciences at the Ministry of Agriculture.

Ghana has made great strides in reducing malnutrition. However, food security remains an issue, with 39.4% of the population suffering moderate or severe food insecurity as of 2022. As global food systems face increasing pressures, soy is emerging as a sustainable and versatile crop capable of addressing nutritional and agricultural challenges across the continent.

THE GHANA SOY FOOD FESTIVAL TACKLES FOOD SECURITY CHALLENGES IN GHANA

Due to this, the World Initiative for Soy in Human Health (WISHH) hosted the Soy Food Festival Ghana 2024 on September 19th at The Fitzgerald in Cantonment, Accra, marking a significant milestone in WISHH’s ongoing efforts to promote health, nutrition, and food security in Ghana and across Africa.

Building on the successes of the first Soy Food Festival held in Uganda in September 2023, the Ghana edition, under the theme “Collaborate, Innovate, Transform: The Future of Soy in Ghana”, sought to raise awareness about the many opportunities in the soy value chain and to create partnerships between soy experts, innovators, and entrepreneurs from Ghana and the U.S geared towards the broader goal of promoting food security within the continent.

This event brought together various key stakeholders from across the soy value chain, marking a significant milestone in WISHH’s ongoing efforts to promote health, nutrition, and food security in Ghana and across Africa.

THE GHANA SOY FOOD FESTIVAL TACKLES FOOD SECURITY CHALLENGES IN GHANA

Rolf Olson, Chargé d’Affaires (CDA) of the U.S. Embassy in Ghana highlighted some of the initiatives implemented by WISHH because of its partnerships with farmers in Ghana.

Gena Perry, Executive Director of WISHH emphasized soy’s role in shaping the future of food saying, “Today, we’re not just talking about soy; we’re envisioning a future where collaboration drives innovation, and innovation transforms lives”.

Dr. Solomon Gyan Ansah, Director of Crop Sciences at the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, also highlighted the government’s commitment to boosting food security through strategic partnerships in soy research and development.

The event featured a panel discussion dubbed “Collaborative Innovation: Transforming Ghana’s Soy Sector.” This presented a platform for over 200 in-person and 400 online participants from the soy value chain, including farmers, researchers, nutritionists, and entrepreneurs to discuss how research and technology can increase soy productivity and how soy-based nutrition can be a sustainable solution for food security.

There was also the Soy World Exhibition, where a diverse range of soy-based products and the latest research from institutions like the University of Florida and Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, were showcased, demonstrating soy’s adaptability in both food and feed production.

By providing a platform for networking and collaboration, the Soy Food Festival Ghana laid the foundation for future initiatives, through partnerships, that will advance the soy industry across Africa.

The World Initiative for Soy in Human Health (WISHH) is a program of the American Soybean Association that aims to improve food security by connecting trade and development in emerging and developing markets.