Amateur farmers sow the seeds of food security in Ghana
February 22, 2022
Even before the COVID-19 pandemic struck, food supply was fragile in Ghana. Agriculture is dominated by smallholder farms with small harvests unable to feed the population. The country imports most of its food from Europe and neighboring countries. As the pandemic tightened its grip and squeezed supply chains, the country's food situation deteriorated, and food prices nearly doubled at local markets.
Alberta Nana Akyaa Akosa was already on the case before COVID-19 hit. "Why don't we just motivate people to grow their own vegetables?" she thought. The idea sparked the establishment of the NGO Agrihouse Foundation.
Alberta and her team are now teaching women all over the country to plant their own vegetable plots with the "1 Household, 1 Garden" initiative. Hundreds signed up for the scheme within a few weeks of its launch. Some 26,000 women have taken part in the initiative over the last five years.
Alongside vegetable gardening, participants can also learn to raise rabbits and grow mushrooms. The group wants families to be able to earn their own money, have enough food for themselves and thus become less dependent on global supply chains. Agrihouse Foundation also promotes environmental awareness as part of their training.
A film by Julia Henrichmann & Richard Ocloo