By: Emmanuel Anyigba
THE UN Resident Coordinator in Ghana, Mr. Zia Choudhury has called for urgent and bold actions to ensure that the outcomes of the upcoming 2025 Sustainable Food Systems Summit lead to real, measurable impacts on the lives of people, particularly in countries like Ghana.
He illustrated the current challenges with the story of Salamatu, a tomato seller at Nima Market, who struggles with the effects of climate change, rising food costs, and post-harvest losses. Her story, he said, reflects the wider issues facing global food systems today.
The Coordinator underscored that global food systems are broken, leading to widespread:
– Hunger and Malnutrition: Over 780 million people suffer from hunger, while a staggering one-third of all food produced is lost or wasted. In Africa, one in five people goes hungry — more than twice the global average.
– Environmental Impact: Food systems account for nearly one-third of global greenhouse gas emissions, making them a key driver of climate change. Transforming these systems is vital to limiting global warming and safeguarding natural resources.
To address these challenges, he outlined three key areas for urgent global action:
1. Massive Investment in Sustainable Food Systems: He called for scaled-up, long-term financing to support resilient food systems, especially for smallholder farmers, youth, and innovators.
2. People-Centered Approaches: Food systems must prioritize people over profit by keeping markets open, removing trade barriers, and using technology to lower the cost of nutritious food.
3. Climate Action: A shift toward nature-positive production is critical, with emphasis on reducing unsustainable land and water use while advancing environmental sustainability and economic resilience.
For Ghana’s Progress, Mr. Choudhury acknowledged Ghana’s efforts to tackle food system challenges, citing key initiatives such as:
– Feed Ghana Programme – aimed at improving food security and nutrition.
– National Nutrition Policy – focused on enhancing health through better diets.
– Ghana’s Food Systems Pathway – providing a national framework to guide systemic transformation.
He iterated on the UN’s continued commitment to supporting Ghana’s journey towards a sustainable, equitable, and resilient food system. He concluded by calling for a renewed collective pact to turn ideas into concrete actions — ensuring no Ghanaian is left behind in the fight for food security and climate resilience.
Source: Nationaltymes.com
