The Church of Pentecost has called for collaborative efforts to enhance food security in Ghana, emphasising the importance of addressing the four dimensions of food security: physical availability, economic and physical access, food utilisation, and stability over time.
Speaking at the Ghana Food Security Conference being jointly organised by the Jospong Group of Companies, Asian African Consortium and the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), the General Secretary of The Church of Pentecost, Apostle Alexander Nana Yaw Kumi-Larbi, in a speech delivered on behalf of the Chairman, Apostle Eric Nyamekye, acknowledged the challenges facing food security in Ghana, including undernutrition, overnutrition, and micronutrient deficiencies, which persist across all life stages.
He also highlighted poverty, climate change, rapid urbanisation and population expansion, and poor infrastructure as significant threats to food security in the country.
Apostle Kumi-Larbi referred to the 1996 World Food Summit’s definition of food security, which emphasises the need for all people to have physical and economic access to sufficient safe and nutritious food for an active and healthy life. He stressed that all four dimensions of food security must be fulfilled simultaneously for food security objectives to be realised.
He commended the Jospong Group of Companies, led by Elder Dr. Joseph Siaw-Agyapong, for their mission to improve people’s lives and introduce the unique idea of public and private sector collaboration for food sufficiency.
According to him, The Church of Pentecost sees this as a significant and timely initiative to help Ghana achieve Sustainable Development Goal 2: “End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture.”
The partnership between the Jospong Group and the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) was therefore timely, significant and crucial to addressing food security challenges, and expressed optimism that the collaborative efforts will lead to practical solutions and strategies to enhance food security in Ghana.
“By working together, scientists, policymakers, and stakeholders can make significant strides towards achieving food security goals and ensuring a prosperous and fruitful nation,” he said.
The 2023 Ghana Food Security Conference continues with sessions and discussions focusing on innovative approaches, research findings, and policies that will contribute to Ghana’s sustainable development of food security.
The conference, being held at the Pentecost Convention Centre (PCC), Gomoa Fetteh, is under the theme: “Enhancing Food Security: The Role of Ghanaian Scientists.”
PENTECOST NEWS.
