On September 27, the University of Ghana hosted the President of IDRC, Canada, and her delegation, alongside IDRC grantees, partners, and university leadership, for a roundtable discussion focusing on climate resilience, sustainable food systems, and the future of work in West and Central Africa.
Held at the School of Public Health, Accra, the event brought together experts and stakeholders to share developments, opportunities, and challenges related to research projects under the Climate Adaptation and Resilience (CLARE) and the Catalyzing Change for Healthy and Sustainable Food Systems (CCHeFS) initiatives, as well as the Sustainable Inclusive Economies (SIE) program.
Representing the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana, Prof. Ayaga Bawah, Director of the Regional Institute for Population Studies, and Prof. Kwasi Torpey, Dean of the School of Public Health, expressed gratitude for IDRC’s continued support. Both underscored the university’s commitment to impactful collaboration.
Healthier Diets for Healthy Lives Project: Bundling Food-Based Policies in Ghana
The roundtable highlighted the successes of the CCHeFS initiative, focusing on the "Healthier Diets for Healthier Lives" and "Beyond the Dialogues" projects (PI – Laar, #109864 and #110345), which have respectively made strides in developing food policies and tracking Ghana’s food systems transformation.
Addressing how Africa can scale up efforts to bundle food policies for nutrition and health while addressing the climate crisis, Prof. Amos Laar remarked that Africa's food systems are at a crossroads, challenged by both anthropogenic diet-related diseases and environmental sins that jeopardize the sustainability of food systems, and indeed other systems. He noted that anything that affects the food systems directly affects all other systems directly or indirectly. Prof. Laar advocated for innovative, integrated approaches to promote the health of people, the continent, and the planet – referred to as “National Food Policy Bundles.” The Healthier Diets for Healthy Lives project for example is aiding the Ghanaian government in developing a nutrient profiling model and four food-based policies: front-of-pack nutrition labeling, public food procurement policy, restrictions on unhealthy food marketing to children, and food-related fiscal policy.
Aligned with Ghana's constitution and the directive principles of the state, the project encourages comprehensive government policy measures to inform, empower, and guide food systems actors to produce and consume sustainably. This is a necessary pre-emptive measure toward mankind’s final war. “This war, he said will neither be fought with cudgels, bows or arrows, nor with guns or bombs, it will be fought with fork and knife”.
Beyond the Dialogues Project: Tracking Food Systems Commitments
In response to global calls for food system transformation, over 160 UN Member States, including Ghana, made commitments at the 2021 UN Food Systems Summit. The "Beyond the Dialogues" project aims to track and catalyze the process of transforming Ghana’s food systems, monitoring progress and addressing challenges across 17 key commitments. Prof. Anna Lartey, Co-PI of the project emphasized the project's role in developing a framework to assess Ghana’s journey toward food systems transformation.
Preserving Africa's Indigenous Crops
Discussions also explored preserving Africa's traditional and climate-resilient crops amidst global food system changes. Prof. Anna Lartey highlighted that Africa’s indigenous seeds and crops face extinction, and without urgent action, they may vanish within the next decade or two. The preservation and integration of these culturally significant crops into broader food systems are vital for Africa’s sustainability and resilience.
FutureWORKS: Mapping the Future of Work in West and Central Africa
The roundtable also provided a timely introduction to FutureWORKS, a regional hub for West and Central Africa, designed to explore the nexus of climate change, digital technologies, and the future of work. Participants discussed the anticipated challenges and emerging opportunities in transforming agri-based economies, particularly with the rapid evolution of technology and the pressing impact of climate change in the region.
Exploring Ghana’s Groundbreaking CLARE Projects
The meeting also provided a platform for in-depth discussions on two critical CLARE projects in Ghana—PALM TREEs and GRIN. The projects aim to address climate adaptation challenges in the region, with an emphasis on gender inclusion, technology, and the development of climate insurance in West Africa. PALM TREEs, a project centered on the Volta Basin, focuses on inclusive and sustainable climate solutions, with an emphasis on people at the margins of development. GRIN, on the other hand, delves into innovative climate insurance schemes, aiming to explore the nuances of gender inclusivity in insurance models.
Strengthening Partnerships and Pathways Forward
Participants examined how gender-responsive research strengthens climate adaptation and resilience, and how food policy engagement has evolved. They committed to enhanced collaboration, resource mobilization, and policy development to address the challenges of sustainable food systems, climate change, and the future of work in Africa. Key strategies identified for further support include:
Networking and Partnerships: IDRC can connect projects with key regional and global stakeholders, fostering collaboration through platforms like CCHeFS.
Sustainable Funding: Assistance in identifying additional funding sources to ensure sustainability and scale-up beyond initial grants, including pooled funds and investment bundling.
Regional Collaboration and Policy Coherence: Building partnerships with entities like ECOWAS and the AU to align policies across countries, integrating climate, health, and nutrition considerations.
Capacity Building: Developing the skills of civil society, policymakers, and researchers to design and implement holistic multi-sectoral policies.
Evidence-Based Policy and Learning: Continued support for research-driven policy development and sharing successful models for broader adoption.
Future-Proofing for Generational Impact: Engaging civil society to recognize and address the food systems crisis as a critical existential challenge.
In her concluding remarks, the President of IDRC, Canada Julie Delahanty, noted:
"Today's roundtable marks a significant step in fostering partnerships, promoting inclusive research, and advancing policy change in sustainable food systems and climate resilience across Africa. IDRC is deeply committed to supporting initiatives like this, as they are crucial to building resilient communities and shaping a sustainable future for the region."
The event concluded with a presentation of gifts in recognition of IDRC Canada's support for advancing population and planetary health
From L-R: Amos Laar, Anna Lartey & Julie Delahanty
From L-R: Amos Laar, Anna Lartey, Lancelot Ehode & Julie Delahanty
From L-R: Amos Laar, Anna Lartey, Marie-Gloriose Ingabire & Julie Delahanty
Participants of the roundtable included representatives from the IDRC, Canada, partner organizations, and academics from various institutions. Among them were:
Julie Delahanty, President of IDRC
Marie-Gloriose Ingabire, IDRC Regional Director for Central and West Africa
Lancelot Ehode, IDRC Regional Advisor for Central and West Africa
Amos Laar, Professor of Public Health Nutrition at the University of Ghana School of Public Health
Anna Lartey, Adjunct Professor of Nutrition at the University of Ghana and former Director of Nutrition at the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
Thompson Annor, Associate Professor of Meteorology and Climate Science at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology
Stephen Yeboah, agroecology and agronomy expert at CSIR-Crops Research Institute, Ghana
Nana Amma Asante-Poku, Research Fellow at the Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research (ISSER), University of Ghana
About the School of Public Health: Established in 1994, it is Ghana’s premier School of Public Health, and is dedicated to excellence in research, teaching, and community engagement. The School’s Mission is “To train public health practitioners who will be leaders and change agents for health development in Ghana in particular and in the wider African context” and its Vision, “To promote knowledge and be lead advocates for needed public health reforms in Ghana.” For more information on the School’s initiatives, please visit its website https://publichealth.ug.edu.gh/