A Research Scientist at the Biotechnology and Nuclear Agriculture Research Institute, at the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission, Dr. Stella Duah Agyemang, has advised Ghanaians on how to reduce the level of food wastage in the country.
According to her, “We’ve adopted it and will continue to remind every Ghanaian to be conscious about reducing food waste. It is attitudinal, everyone must be encouraged to be positively involved in cutting down waste”.
Dr. Duah made this known when she partnered with the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly to mark “Stop Food Wastage Day 2022” in the Ashanti Regional capital over the weekend.
The event was held on the theme: Educating and igniting change in Ghana for National Development with stakeholders’ engagement where recommendations and suggestions were made to food services and vendors.
Dr. Agyemang Duah explained that “This is the first time such an event is taking place in Ghana. Since 2017, the USA through Compass Group Holdings, one of its global foodservice leaders found it necessary to mark this day to accelerate the awareness campaign against food wastage. Through this advocacy, the USA has saved about 40% of food that goes waste”.
She added that “Today it is food, but check around you; how you use water, clothing, fuel, and other products, at least, it drives us to put in check in every aspect of our lives. We are checking wastage at the farmer’s level as well. The target of sustainable development goal 12 counts postharvest losses and we are ready to secure losses along the production and supply chains as well”.
She further explained that “We will channel them into compost to reduce the use of inorganic fertilizers. These inorganic fertilizers have prolonged health issues for consumers. Even farmers are at risk of spraying these fertilizers”.
The Researcher noted that “At the policy level, we will encourage the Government to consider SDG 12 targets and indicators, and implement and monitor them. At any point, we are available to assist the ministries or government to achieve this goal by 2030”.
She expressed that “The unavoidable waste can be channelled into organic fertilizers or compost, and also appealed to waste management companies to come on board to design robust bin segregation materials which can ease the effect of carbon emissions on our landfill sites and promote a clean Ghana”.
Market Education
After the Assembly engagement, the team further proceeded to the Bantama and Racecourse markets to sensitize and educate the market women on how to reduce food waste at their level.
The event was attended by University students from various institutions in the Region, the Waste Management Team at the Assembly, and the general public on food waste.
