FAO and the Government of Ghana Collaborate to Boost Nutrition in School Meals
Unlocking the Potential of small-scale Fisheries for better nutrition in Ghana
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Government of Ghana have joined forces to promote fish in school meals in Ghana, to support good nutrition and small-scale fishers’ livelihoods.
At an event in Accra, the Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture Development H.E. Mavis Hawa Koomson joined FAO experts and other officials to launch a policy brief on adding small fish to Ghana’s school feeding programme and sharing related information in education materials.
“The decision to use small fish in diets to improve the nutritional profile of school meals is laudable. As we are aware, small fish contain the necessary nutrients needed for the development of the body,” H.E. Koomson said.
“The inclusion of fish in the Ghana school feeding program is a major step to attaining a healthier population in future. The Ministry would ensure that the necessary linkages are created to ensure the availability of fish to stakeholders in the school feeding program at an affordable price,” she said.
Small fish, such as anchovies, herring and mackerel, are the most abundant fisheries resources in Ghanaian waters. The proposal to add them to the school meals programme stems from an FAO collaboration with the Ministry as part of the Small-Scale Fisheries (SSF) Umbrella Programme’s project ‘Implementing the Small-Scale Fisheries Guidelines for gender equitable and climate resilient food systems and Livelihoods’.
“Ghana's fishery stock is an untapped nutrition resource and can help Ghana achieve the Sustainable Development Goals including Goal 2 – Zero Hunger,” said Yurdi Yasmi, FAO Representative in Ghana. “We are proud partners of the Government of Ghana towards these ambitions,” he said.
The Ghana School Feeding Programme (GSFP), launched in 2005, benefits over 3.8 million pupils in 11,000 schools across all 261 metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies in the 16 regions of Ghana. It has also provided employment opportunities for approximately 11,000 caterers. However, a recent FAO study (2019) assessing school feeding programs in 33 countries, including Ghana, pointed to challenges in some countries to source quality, nutritious ingredients, among other issues.
To overcome these challenges, FAO is supporting the Government of Ghana to strengthen linkages between the local small-scale fisheries post-harvest sector and the GSFP, employing a food systems approach to maximize the program's impact on ' children’s nutrition and health.
The collaboration will also facilitate local and regional procurement of foods for school meals and evaluate the expected impact on educational, nutritional, agricultural, and economic outcomes. By synergizing these
efforts, Ghana is poised to overcome barriers that inhibit the full potential of utilizing small fish, fostering a nourished and resilient future for its vulnerable populations.
Better Nutrition is one of FAO’s Four Betters outlined in the FAO Strategic Framework 2022-2031, along with Better Production, a Better Environment, and a Better Life. In each of these areas, FAO is working with Member Nations to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.