Sweetpotato Knowledge Portal
Former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan and his wife Nane Annan held meetings, January 9 -11, with key stakeholders involved in the Jumpstarting Orange-Fleshed Sweetpotato (OFSP) project ongoing in Ghana. They also made field visits, interacting with project beneficiaries in Ghana’s central and the greater Accra area. Participants included CIP staff in Ghana, representatives from the Ghana Ministry of Agriculture, farmers, donors and private sector actors such as processors currently involved in promoting the breeding and consumption of OFSP.
They highlighted progress made towards sustainable and inclusive market driven approaches for OFSP in the country that led to increased incomes and improved health through consumption of Vitamin A-rich OFSP, especially in women and children. The three-year Jumpstart project winds up in 2017. Jumpstart is supported by a generous grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
Learn more from the Annan visit on 9th to 11th January from the slideshow below:
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Nane and Koffi Annan concluded the visit by hosting a luncheon and round table discussion with various stakeholders engaged in OFSP value chains. A key topic discussed was on whether businesses see OFSP as part of their plans.
“We enjoyed every bit of this trip. The meeting at Coconut Grove with representatives from the Ministry, farmers, processors, all engaged and involved, the stops on the road back to Accra seeing the entrepreneurial spirit of Ghanaians, visit to the Food&Research Institute which already is actively on board, and finally lunch with GASIP, donors and the business sector”, said Nane Annan at the end of the trip.
Inspiration by H. E. Koffi Annan’s guiding support not only benefitting Ghana but whole Africa to promote the remedy of Vitamin A deficiency through OFSP in Africa. Asia should learn from it.