The Reaching Agents of Change (RAC) Project, a partnership between the International Potato Center (CIP) and Helen Keller International (HKI), hosted the workshop “Advocating for Investments on Orange-Fleshed Sweet Potato (OFSP) in Ghana.” With the objective of developing a common understanding among participants of the benefits of OFSP activities in Ghana for combating Vitamin A Deficiency (VAD), participants learned about OFSP and worked towards developing a Ghana-centric strategy to attract and utilize investments in OFSP.
Over twenty-five stakeholders and representatives gathered each day of the workshop. On Day 1, participants learned about the RAC Project and attended presentations on vitamin A deficiency in Ghana, the status of OFSP varieties developed for Ghana, value-addition opportunities, and the donor landscape for agriculture and nutrition development activities. The day closed with participants breaking into groups to develop preliminary investment objectives. Day 2 of the workshop consisted of participant deliberation, working towards a final set of OFSP investment objectives/targets for Ghana summarized as follows:
- Policy advocacy to ensure OFSP’s inclusion in health & nutrition, agriculture, and education policies
- Reduction of VAD occurrence in Ghana using OFSP, especially for pregnant and lactating mothers and children under 2 years (“ first 1,000 days”)
- Development of OFSP value chains in Ghana
- Raised awareness of the benefits of OFSP among stakeholders
- Facilitation of effective partnerships across stakeholders and sectors
Before the workshop concluded, participants identified challenges and tips for moving forward, committed to remain actively engaged as part of a network and platform for advocacy, and volunteered their organizations’ commitments to OFSP advancement in Ghana.
Subjects: Nutrition
Publisher: CIP
Publication Date: December2012
Keywords: Ghana, Ghana workshop, OFSP, Orange-fleshed sweet potato