Every year, Ghana produces thousands of tonnes of nutritious food but a significant share of it never reaches a plate. Fruit spoils before it’s sold. Vegetables rot in transit. Grains are ruined by poor storage. Conversations about nutrition often focus on growing more food but reducing what’s lost or wasted after harvest may be one…
One of the most persistent myths about nutrition is that eating well is a luxury reserved for higher incomes. That healthy means imported, packaged, and pricey. The reality in Ghana tells a very different story. Good nutrition starts with local food Ghana is rich in nutrient-dense foods that are grown here and sold in markets…
The recent floods across parts of Ghana have disrupted lives, displaced families, and damaged homes and livelihoods. While rescue efforts and rebuilding understandably take centre stage, another urgent issue deserves equal attention, nutrition and food safety, both during the flood and long after the water recedes. Floods contaminate water sources, destroy crops, interrupt food supplies,…
Ghana’s economic conversations often focus on fiscal policy, investment, and productivity. But there is a cost that rarely enters these conversations. The crippling, compounding cost of malnutrition. According to the Cost of Hunger in Africa (COHA) study, a landmark analysis conducted jointly by the African Union, the UN Economic Commission for Africa, WFP, and UNICEF,…
In March 2025, world leaders gathered in Paris for the Nutrition for Growth (N4G) Summit, the most important global gathering on malnutrition of the decade. Over $30 billion in new financial commitments were pledged globally by more than 170 actors from 82 countries. Ghana was there. Ghana made commitments. The question now is: are those…
For the past thirty years, Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) has transformed the treatment of severe acute malnutrition in children. Before its introduction in the late 1990s, children suffering from severe wasting often required prolonged hospital stays, intensive medical care, and constant supervision. Today, many of these children can recover safely at home or within their…
When nutrition challenges among Ghanaian women are discussed, anaemia and obesity often dominate the conversation. These are real and serious concerns. But there are two other deficiencies, folate and vitamin B12, quietly causing harm to women and their unborn children. They are less visible, less talked about, and yet their impact begins early, often before…
Every baby deserves a healthy start. But in Ghana, too many children are being born already behind, too small, too fragile, and at far greater risk than their peers. Low birth weight, defined as weighing less than 2.5 kilograms at birth, affects an estimated 1 in 7 newborns in this country. That is a significant…
Reliable data is the foundation of effective health systems. Governments need accurate information to track progress, identify gaps, and ensure that services reach the people who need them most. In Ghana, however, data on nutrition services often remains fragmented. For example, it is possible to estimate how many children received Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) treatment…
Ghana’s National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) has transformed healthcare access for millions of people. Since its establishment, the scheme has reduced out-of-pocket health spending and increased the use of healthcare services. For many families, an NHIS card means the difference between seeking treatment and delaying care. Yet this promise of accessible healthcare encounters significant limitations…