By, Nsor Paul Mensah.
A non-governmental organization (NGO), The Hunger Project, (THP) has Launched a new milestone of creating a world without hunger.
The official launch of the new vision and mission which was held in Accra today 27th July 2023 which aimed to envisaging a future where hunger is eradicated, where every person has access to nutritional food and where communities thrive.
The Hunger Project can be achieved by facilitating individual and collective action to transform the system of inequity that create hunger and cause it to persist.
In an interview with Africa News, the Country Director of The Hunger project (THP,) Mr. Samuel Erasmus Afrane said that, to end hunger, there should be community-based strategies and programmes aimed at transforming the systems and create sustainable change.
Mr. Afrane said THP since it inception in 1977, the world has made significant progress in many areas, like maternal and child mortality, public health, and nutrition.
He said from 2005 to 2018, the number of undernourished people globally dropped by more than 200 million while the population continued to rise.
The Country Director said since it establishment in Ghana in 1996, THP has empowered women and female economic programme including pottery and palm oil production, rearing of ruminants and mushroom production around Nkawkaw.
He said through Epicenter Strategy, THP was equipped in creating sustainable rural communities that work towards ending hunger and poverty through Ghana.
“We have established 45 epicenters across 33 district in five regions with Eastern Region alone having 38 Chip Compound accounting for half of all rural health clinics,” he stated.
Mr. Afrane said THP’s activities have directly benefited over 350,000 Ghansians in 542 rural communities with over 2,500 trained volunteers to lead their conmnmmuniies in the development of agriculture, health and nutrition, education, women empowerment, microfinance and livelihoods development, and engagement with local government.
He said the new look for the Hunger Project would focus on nutrition, growing locally, reduction of food loss, biodiversity and climate change and innovation and technology.
With the tag line “A world Without Hunger“ which is the vision , Mr.Afrane indicated that they are building on existing successes in order to achieve ultimate result.
Already, THP working with the Ghana Health Service has improved maternal and child healthcare in 15 epicenter rural clinics in the Eastern, Central and Volta regions of Ghana.
These have seen the reduction of poverty from 19% to 4% in some of these areas and has therefore resulted in the establishment of additional 38 epicenters.
In a keynote address delivered for him , the Minister for Food and Agriculture, Mr.Bryan Acheampong gave the assurance that his Ministry shares in the vision of Hunger Project.
The government flagship programme Planting for Food and Jobs, he added will further help to augment the efforts being made by the Hunger Project in eradicating hunger.
A former Deputy Minister for Food and Agriculture, Mr.Abraham Dwoma Odoom who was the Special Guest of Honour but had his speech read on his behalf, called for the need to give insurance to crop producing farmers which will cushion them during losses.
He was also of the view that mechanization and land preparation are key in getting better and substantial yields which should be considered.
In a televised remarks by the Global Chief Executive Officer and President of Hunger Project, Tim prewitt, the unveiling of the new mission and visions is also the beginning of a new look producing food and eradicating poverty for the next generation.
There were solidarity messages from others partners of The Hunger Project including Blue Town company and the Australian High Commission.