Key institutions involved in Ghana’s food systems, grouped by their primary area of impact

These institutions collaborate from policy development to community engagement, research, training, and advocacy efforts to address food safety, sustainable agriculture, and nutritional improvements in Ghana.

Collectively, they target Ghana’s unique challenges like climate change impacts, malnutrition, regional disparities, and market needs for high-quality, immediate food safety concerns and long-term food security goals for economic and environmental sustainability.

 

Category	Institution	Primary Focus
Governmental Bodies	Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA)	National agriculture policy, food security, sustainable farming practices, and collaboration with food-related agencies.
Governmental Bodies	Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development	Sustainable management of fisheries, protein supply, addressing climate change effects on fish stocks.
Governmental Bodies	Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD)	Cocoa production sustainability, food security, and economic impact.
Governmental Bodies	Ghana Statistical Service (GSS)	Data on food security, poverty, and malnutrition for policy development and national food security initiatives.
Governmental Bodies	Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)	Enforces environmental standards in agriculture, ensuring sustainable practices for food production.
Governmental Bodies	Ghana Health Service (GHS)	Implements national health policies, including nutrition interventions.
Governmental Bodies	Veterinary Services Department	Monitors animal health and food safety related to zoonotic diseases.
Regulatory Agencies	Food and Drugs Authority (FDA)	Food safety standards and regulations, consumer health protection through food quality control.
Regulatory Agencies	National Development Planning Commission (NDPC)	Strategic food system planning, sustainable development, multi-sector policy integration.
Regulatory Agencies	Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)	Oversee sustainable agricultural practices to protect the environment, crucial for ensuring healthy food production systems.
Regulatory Agencies	National Development Planning Commission (NDPC)	Develops cohesive food system policies and aligns national goals with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Regulatory Agencies	Ghana Standards Authority (GSA)	Establishes and enforces food safety and quality standards, working with CSIR and FDA to ensure regulatory compliance across the food production chain.
Research Institutions	Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research (ISSER)	Policy research, food systems analysis, collaborating with international agencies to support Ghana’s food security and agricultural policies.
Research Institutions	Council for Scientific and Industrial Research - Food Research Institute (CSIR-FRI)	Food safety and quality testing, product development, and research on sustainable food production.
Research Institutions	Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR)	Conducts biomedical research including studies on nutrition-related diseases.
Research Institutions	University of Ghana - Nutrition Research and Training Center (NRTC)	Focuses on interdisciplinary research and training in nutrition.
Research Institutions	Ghana Food Systems Summit	A series of dialogues aimed at transforming Ghana's food systems by involving multiple stakeholders to achieve sustainable healthy diets for all Ghanaians.
International Partners	United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)	Technical support and capacity-building in food safety, promoting sustainable agricultural practices in collaboration with the government.
International Partners	World Health Organization (WHO) Ghana Office	Monitors foodborne illness, promotes national health policies related to food safety, and collaborates with MOH.
International Partners	Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA)	Agricultural productivity support, smallholder farmer empowerment, capacity-building for sustainable food systems.
International Partners	International Development Research Centre (IDRC)	Funds projects on sustainable food systems, supporting research and capacity building for food system transformation in Ghana in partnership with IFPRI and local institutions.
Advocacy & Civil Societies	Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana (PFAG)	Advocacy for smallholder farmers, training on sustainable farming, support for food system resilience and policy representation.
Development Programmes	Ghana Agricultural Sector Investment Programme (GASIP)	Supports smallholder farmers with financial resources, training, and market access to improve food security and economic resilience.
Climate, Food Security, and Sustainability	USAID Ghana	Focuses on improving food security, poverty reduction, and resilience in Ghana, especially targeting vulnerable northern regions.
Climate, Food Security, and Sustainability	UN World Food Programme (WFP)	Partners with the government to enhance resilience in Ghana’s food systems, emphasizing climate adaptation and food security through targeted assistance in vulnerable communities.
Climate, Food Security, and Sustainability	USAID Ghana - Global Food Security Strategy (GFSS)	Focuses on poverty reduction and food security, particularly in northern Ghana, addressing regional disparities in malnutrition and economic opportunity through community programs.
Non-Governmental Organizations	African Women’s Collaborative for Healthy Food Systems	Promotes women's rights in agriculture while enhancing healthy food systems through initiatives like the Nutritional African Foods Initiative (NAFI).
Non-Governmental Organizations	World Food Programme (WFP)	Works to address hunger through various programs including school feeding initiatives.
Non-Governmental Organizations	International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA)	Focuses on agricultural research to improve crop production while addressing food security issues in tropical regions.
Non-Governmental Organizations	Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA)	Focuses on improving agricultural productivity among smallholder farmers to enhance food security.
Private Sector	SGS Ghana	Provides training in food safety methodologies, including HACCP preparation and hygiene awareness.