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The Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana (PFAG) has asked Government to channel adequate resources to the country’s nutrition- related programmes to combat chronic malnutrition and potential food insecurity.
The Association said the slow progress in childhood under nutrition and setbacks in the prevalence of anaemia suggest the need for renewed commitment to improve the nutrition status and the health of the population.
Quoting a USAID report, the Association pointed out that the nutrition profile in Ghana gives a grim picture with the greatest burden in the three regions of the north- Upper West, Upper East and Northern Region. According to the report, as many as 1.2million Ghanaians are considered food insecure and chronic under nutrition.
In view of this, the Association said “It is proper that there are effective coordinating mechanisms and structures in place to ensure sustainable nutrition.”
The Association made these submissions through its Programme Coordinator, Victoria Adongo, at a National Policy Dialogue on Post- Harvest losses and Food and Nutrition Policy organised in Accra recently by PFAG, with support from SNV under the Voice for Change (V4C) partnership programme.
Madam Adongo stated, “under the Voice for Change project, PFAG calls for the organisation and institutionalization of National Nutrition Policy Fair to create an interactive and learning opportunity to learn more about nutrition, improve overall health and explore the food and nutrition resource available for adoption. “
She also proposed that more support be given to grow foods that are known to have high nutritional values like Sorghum, Millet, Cowpea,Bambara beans and many other indigenous foods and vegetables.
The Country Programme Coordinator for the V4C partnership, Mr Eric Banye said the programme seeks to empower Civil Society Organisations to have greater voices as advocates and effectively serve the interest of the people they represent.
The programme, he said, is also to influence Agenda- setting and policy creation by stimulating collaboration among civil society, government, the private sector and other relevant players.
He said the programme focuses on four thematic areas, these include Food and Nutrition Security, Resilience, Renewable Energy and Water, Sanitation and Hygiene.
