FAO urges innovation, technology to strengthen Ghana’s food security

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations (UN) has urged Ghana to embrace innovation, research, and technology to bolster its food security and decrease dependence on imported food items. This plea was made during a press conference in Accra, leading up to World Food Day 2026, which is themed "Innovate today.

Nourish tomorrow." Dr. Meshack Malo, the FAO Representative in Ghana, highlighted the sector's potential for young people to devise solutions to Ghana's food challenges. He emphasized the need to utilize science, technology, and artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance local production, noting that Ghana currently imports goods like tomatoes and chicken.

Dr. Malo urged young people to leverage these advancements for better solutions. Similarly, Dr. Gloria Folson, Head of the Department of Nutrition, Diet, and Metabolic Sciences at the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, discussed the expanding role of AI in nutrition research. She mentioned that the FRANI mobile app, validated recently, effectively estimates nutrient intake among school-age children and adolescent girls, between 10 and 19 years old.

Dr. Folson also pointed out potential improvements in Ghana's school feeding program by incorporating eggs, textured soy protein, and other local foods. Additionally, Chef Joseph Wilson-Tetteh, President of the Hospitality Alliance of Ghana, advocated for sustainable food practices to minimize waste and maximize the utility of locally available food.

He proposed incorporating food waste that is often discarded in Ghana into meals, similar to practices in other countries. The speakers emphasized the necessity of enhanced collaboration among government entities, researchers, businesses, and young innovators to foster sustainable food production, enhance nutrition, and fortify the food system for Ghana and Africa.